Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past
by Priya Ashok
Summary: 19 years after the war with Voldemort Harry Potter is thrown 25 years into the past, arriving just before the start of his first year at Hogwarts. Please Read and Review.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JKR.

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 1**_

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_**Nineteen Years Later after the War with Voldemort**_

Harry had just said goodbye to his two sons and was walking to the apparition point with his young daughter Lily and his wife Ginny. Ron and Hermione, Harry's best friends and married to each other, had done the same to their daughter Rose and were walking just behind him and Ginny. Hugo, their son was walking along with Lily, Harry's youngest child and only daughter, chattering hard with her, both of them speculating about the House Albus, Harry's second son and Hermione and Ron's daughter, Rose, would be sorted into.

James Potter, Harry's eldest was in Gryffindor and in his second year and Albus Severus Potter was on his way to Hogwarts feeling just a little scared he might be placed in Slytherin. While Slytherin did not have the name it did when Harry was a student, it still had a dubious reputation based on the stories of the past and Albus Potter, feeling he may have just enough tendencies to be sorted into Slytherin, was scared.

Harry had done what he could to assuage those fears and had tried his best to tell his young son that Slytherin was certainly not a bad House and there were many brave students who passed out of Slytherin and there were also the Pettigrews who were sorted into Gryffindor. Albus Potter was not impressed simply because he knew if he were sorted into Slytherin, he would be suspected first by the whole School before being accepted if that were even to happen.

Slytherin still had a reputation that was hard to shake. Albus Potter feeling only slightly better after his father told him to argue with the Hat and tell it to place him in Gryffindor if it suggested Slytherin, had waved goodbye rather solemnly and crossed his fingers, hoping for the best.

Harry had invited Ron and Hermione to have lunch with him and Ginny, and all the four adults and the two children crossed the barrier and were now walking to their cars. Lily went with Hugo to ride with the Weasleys and Harry giving a small wave got into his car along with Ginny and started driving to their home in Godric's Hollow.

Harry and Ron had nice cars that were fitted with enough magic to take all of them to Godric's Hollow in about ten minutes. Ron and Hermione had a beautiful cottage walking distance from The Burrow and spent most weekends there with a doting Molly and Arthur.

George had married and had named his first born son after the twin he lost, Fred. He still ran the shop with Ron's help and was a great success. He would never truly get over the death of Fred Weasley but he ploughed on and time slowly changed his sorrow into fond memories and regret that Fred could not live to see all this success and the peace that ensured after the death of Voldemort.

Bill was now a senior curse breaker at Gringotts and they had one daughter Victtoire and a small son Claude. Charlie was still in Romania married to a girl he had met there. The Weasleys were all doing well and Percy was now a high ranking Ministry official and he had fully patched up with his family.

Kingsley Shaklebolt was Minister for Magic and was doing a fine job running the wizarding government.

Harry was the Head of the Aurors and had gained a formidable reputation as its Head. He had over the years become tremendous at wandless magic and also at the Dark Arts. Harry had learned the Dark Arts to formulate various defences against them and he was simply fascinated by them. He realized that they needed extensive cleansing after use and he was very careful with them, lest his mind be corrupted.

Harry was also an expert on wards; wards of any type, blood wards, wards of intent, all types of wards. He could break any ward and could manoeuvre around any.

Harry was also an animagus, though he had mastered the art only much later. He found that he had three animagus forms in him, one magical and two non magical forms. His magical form was a Phoenix, a gorgeous blue and green ice Phoenix. His two non – magical forms were a snake, a very small sized viper and a stag.

No one apart from Ginny, Hermione and Ron knew about Harry's animagus of Phoenix and snake, not even his children. That was kept very secret and Harry used the two forms especially the snake form to eavesdrop and snoop around.

Harry had come a long way from the boy who had not been able to cast a _crucio_ on Bellatrix Lestrange. In the search for the horcruxes, he had cast the _imperio_ and the _cruciatus_ with ease. But now many dark spells and the three unforgivables came to him without thought.

Harry used all of them reserving the _avada kedavra _only as a desperate measure and only when he was in life threatening circumstances, but he used the others to get any advantage whatsoever from his enemies, who were the left over death eaters and new aspiring wannabe Dark Lords.

In the nineteen years Harry had used the killing curse some three times and he realized that the killing curse does not split the soul if it was used in honest self defence and his mind, intent and reasons were honest. The killing curse would only split the soul if it was used with intent to split the soul or in other words to make horcruxes.

Of course killing without reason would embitter and make those who used it recklessly inhuman and sadistic but that was also the case with muggle psychopaths who went on a killing spree or terrorists who did not think twice about killing innocent people with families.

It was nineteen years since the death of Voldemort the psychopath and reckless murderer who had tried his best to tear the Wizarding World apart. It had taken many years before the Wizarding World could stabilize. Population had been at an all time low and so was the economy.

The war had taken its toll and it had been a very turbulent few years after the death of Voldemort. It was almost as it had been when he had started the second war in full swing after the death of Albus Dumbledore.

With Kingsley at the helm and all the Weasleys and Harry, Hermione and so many others chipping in working hard and long hours they had turned the Ministry of Magic and the Wizarding World on its head and brought many, many changes in it.

The first of them all was making all the magical races equal in the eyes of the law and assigning them seats on the Wizengamot and addressing their problems from the base, up wards. Then they had strived very hard to reintegrate all the different magical creatures into Wizarding society. That had taken a good many years to accomplish.

Now for the last few years things were pretty quiet and Harry did not work long hours and he was able to take the weekend off on a regular basis.

All the death eaters except Malfoy had been apprehended. All the Malfoys had escaped because Narcissa helped Harry in the Forest and Lucius spun a tale of being captured and marked against his will. They also told the Wizengamot that Draco had the lives of his parents at stake and he too was forced to take the mark and the proof of their not being death eaters was in the fact that Draco could not kill Dumbledore and Narcissa had saved Harry.

They had got away and after that had made sure by living carefully on the right side of the law and ensuring no one called them dark wizards or death eaters. They kept very much to themselves.

Four years back the Headmasters of Hogwarts along with McGonagall who was retiring that year to give way to a new Headmaster and Transfiguration professor had agreed, after fifteen long years after the death of Voldemort and ten long years of crusade by Harry and Hermione, to put up Snape's portrait in the Headmaster's office.

On the day that had been decided by McGonagall who was Headmistress, to request Hogwarts for Snape's portrait, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny had been there very early so that they could thank the man for his extraordinary contributions without which they would not have won the war with Voldemort.

Harry had also sent word to the Malfoys about Snape's portrait appearing in the Headmaster's office, knowing from Draco the amount of sacrifice Snape had made for that family. Draco had promised to come and he had come just a bit later with his entire family.

Harry's parents and Sirius and Lupin had also portraits in Harry's parent's vault, a vault Harry had known existed only after the war with Voldemort. Lupin also had his own portrait along with Tonks that he had created when their son had been born and had had it hung in Andromeda's home.

James, Sirius, Lily and Lupin had all been twenty in the portraits Harry had hung in his home (he had destroyed Peter's portrait) and that morning they had been waiting for Snape's portrait to appear and the moment Snape's portrait had appeared, Harry had sent word through a house elf all of them had come in into Dumbledore's portrait to meet Snape and thank him.

The moment Snape's portrait had appeared, he had blinked once, only once and then had seemingly understood where he was. He had looked around to see a beaming Dumbledore and had scowled. Then his eyes had fallen on Harry and his black expressionless, inscrutable eyes had widened impossibly.

"You lived." He had breathed and Dumbledore had told him very briefly about Harry being a horcrux Voldemort had not intended to create and that he, Dumbledore had known Harry would not have died, only the horcrux would have been destroyed. Snape had turned incredulous eyes towards him, his face showing his shock. Then he had not spoken a word more.

He had looked at Harry for a long minute and then he had turned and removed his wand and had created wards ensuring that no one would come into his portrait.

Harry's mother came genuinely and eagerly to thank Snape and also to speak to him as his friend and his father, Sirius and Lupin very uncomfortably to thank Snape for his contribution to the war and for his many efforts to save Harry. They were there only because Lily had insisted they thank him, with the exception of Lupin who understood more clearly why Snape had to be thanked for all his help.

James was a bit jealous as well as sulky about thanking Snape of all people whatever he did. His contention was so many people had contributed to the war and had died to save their world. Snape had turned only because he had loved Lily and had wanted to save her.

"Don't forget," he had added darkly, "Snape had wanted to ask only for Lily's life and did not care if Harry and I died and if Voldemort had chosen to go after the Longbottoms he would not have bothered at all." But he had come when Lily had insisted and had tried to thank Snape.

Snape's eyes had widened impossibly the second time in minutes as he looked for a long minute at a beaming and tearful and just a tad uncertain Lily Potter. Then he had turned away without acknowledging any of them. Not even Lily Potter and Albus Dumbledore. Both of them had been totally taken aback at Snape's reaction and had tried to call out to him and talk to him.

Only Snape had not turned back and nor had he responded. He had just vanished into a lovely dark green velvet curtain that had hung there behind a simple chair that made up his portrait. Dumbledore and Harry's mother had tried talking to him and McGonagall, James, Sirius and Lupin had tried to call out to him and stiltedly thank him. Snape had not answered at all.

The Malfoys had come within the next ten minutes and Lucius Malfoy had gone close to the portraits had called out to Snape who had appeared from behind a curtain and had spoken in soft tones with him

That was the first time Harry saw the Malfoys and Malfoy's son and wife after the war. His wife was not the pug faced Pansy Parkinson but another pure blood witch and they had one son and a daughter. His son's name was Scorpius and his daughter who was younger was named Rhiannon.

They had come and had nodded only to Harry. They did not even look at anybody else. Not even the Headmaster Dumbledore or McGonagall. Then they had left with Lucius and Draco Malfoy formally thanking Harry and Hermione for fighting Snape's case and enabling Snape's portrait to be put up in the Headmaster's office. They had been there only for a total time of ten minutes and had left at once.

Snape had gone behind the curtain. He was still coming out four years later. Apart from Phineas Nigellus everyone had been shocked and a few of the past Headmasters and Headmistress had been angry. After all the effort Harry had taken to bring Snape's portrait into the august, esteemed and honoured circle, the man had no courtesy to even acknowledge their thanks and when Dumbledore and the Potters and McGonagall had tried to apologize the uncouth man had just walked away.

But Phineas Nigellus had understood the amount of betrayal that Snape must have felt for him to behave like this. When he had time and again, put his life on the line, he was still remembered only for the mistakes he had made and not for his contributions. He kept quiet though, knowing that at that time no one would understand his remarks. But he would say them when the time was right. The right time came that day itself, though it was not him who defended Snape.

McGonagall had flushed in shame when she had seen Snape and had tried to apologize for not understanding and Dumbledore had looked sadly at Snape, the few minutes he had been there. Lily had continuously talk to him, but Snape had not said a word beyond 'you lived' to Harry and had not even glanced at Lily apart from that amazed and astounded look at the beginning.

After calling for him for some time, McGonagall had placed a privacy charm on his portrait so that he would not hear their discussions that would have at best angered him. She need not have bothered because Snape was no longer there; instead the grateful House of Malfoy had created a lovely portrait and had also created links to a potions lab and a portrait of their personal library.

They had done this for the man who had saved their son from a sure death either at the hands of Voldemort for not having killed Dumbledore, or from the Wizarding World had he managed to cast the killing curse. Snape had saved him from both situations by killing Dumbledore and taking everything upon his already bursting head.

Harry had been flabbergasted and shocked that Snape had not even spoken to his mother and had thought that he, Harry would have died. Why should Snape be shocked; after all it was he who had, from the memories he had given Harry that told him he had to go and sacrifice his life for the sake of the Wizarding World. Then Harry's eyes had widened with understanding and remembrance and he had turned with incredulous eyes to Dumbledore.

"Sir, Snape did not know about the horcruxes, did he?" Harry had asked him more than sure he had not known because he remembered the memories that he must have played at least a million times in his head.

"No Harry I did not tell him." Dumbledore had said heavily looking very sad and gazing deeply into the empty portrait as if he could compel Snape to come out.

"He also did not know about the Elder wand did he?" Harry had asked with deceptive calm and Hermione had turned sharply to look at him. Ron and Ginny were watching everything, their eyes going from Harry to Dumbledore. They had not noticed Harry's tone, but Hermione knew that tone and it boded no good for anyone.

Dumbledore had shaken his head and then Harry had asked him the third question to which he knew the answer. "Snape also did not know I would live after Voldemort killed me, did he?" he had asked still calmly.

"No Harry he did not know. That is why he is very angry." Dumbledore had said and Harry had frozen.

Harry had understood at the time he was with Dumbledore, in his own mind in King's Cross, fifteen years ago, when Dumbledore had told him about the Deathly Hallows. Over the years, though, Harry had been feeling that too much had been asked from Snape and too little given. Snape had been used not only by Voldemort but also by Dumbledore who had used his terrible guilt and had made him a slave to that guilt until the very end.

It had been almost five years before Harry had even started thinking about the unease that Snape and his memories had brought to his mind, but they had grown slowly and surely over the years and had reached boiling point that day. And the resentment had built up, every time some little information was shared and every time Harry and Hermione were refused in their requests to put up Snape's portrait.

At seventeen Harry had been too young to realize the horror that was Snape's life. At thirty six he knew that no one, not Dumbledore, not his mother who was Snape's closest friend, had been even fair to the Slytherin, instead all of them had taken him, his contributions and later on his very life for granted by playing on that guilt.

Harry had been astounded that Dumbledore had made no effort to have Snape's portrait reinstated at first and had initially confronted him. Dumbledore had been evasive saying that he wanted all the Headmasters to agree to have Snape's portrait and not impose it upon them. If he did then, he had told Harry, they might not treat him properly. Harry had agreed reluctantly at the time, but had not been convinced.

"You mean Sir that you sent Snape to his death thinking that Lily Evans's son would die?" Harry had asked with sarcastic amazement in his voice.

"Harry I did not know he would die." Dumbledore had begun slightly confused about Harry's behaviour. He had thought Harry had seen his point of view when they had discussed everything in Harry's mind before the final duel. But Harry cut him off ruthlessly.

"You mean, even though you knew that Voldemort would think that Snape was the owner of the Elder wand, since he killed you, you still thought Voldemort would spare him?" Harry had asked sarcastically and that was when Ginny and the others had noticed that Harry had been fuming.

"So what mate? Snape's got his portrait and it is all way in the past now." Ron had tried only to keep quiet when Harry turned to glare at him.

"You talk as if he begged for it Ron and all of us graciously gave it to him. It has taken Hermione and me fifteen bloody years to get a bloody portrait for a man without whom and whose information we would not have won the war and we would have lost many, many more people. And he did it for Lily Evans's child, Ron not for me or for Dumbledore" Harry had yelled, his frustrations finally coming out.

"So what Harry? It was because of the greasy git that we died in the first place. Else we would have been living. It was he who told the Prophecy to Voldemort." James had yelled back.

"You died because you had a lousy friend who betrayed you for peanuts dad. Not because of a greasy git. And don't call him that." Harry had replied softly his eyes burning with anger.

"Why are you defending him like that? You saw how he called everyone mudblood including your mum and how much he was into the Dark Arts and why, even your mother broke off her friendship with him because of it. Right from his first year, he was a miserable, dirty kid, a death eater in the making." James had burst out furiously glaring at Harry unable to understand why Harry was sticking up for Snape of all people.

"I was dirty, miserable and a bum dad. I boarded the Hogwarts express with torn jeans that was three sizes too big for me and I had not had a bath for nearly three days because the Dursleys felt I was not worth wasting good hot water on, and I came faint with hunger because I had not had my breakfast in the morning. Ron was the first boy who smiled at me and he did not mind the stink that I must have had. That was why I refused Draco Malfoy's hand in friendship. It was because Ron had looked at me as a normal human being instead of a freak." James stared speechlessly at Harry's tirade.

"I saw from the memories how you talked to Snape. He was like me. Dirty and unkempt. But you were no Ron and all of us are not as fortunate as you were dad. We were not the cream of society and we did not have parents alive in my case and those who cared in his, to make a difference."

"But Harry," his mother tearfully started but Harry had not finished.

"I was sorted into Gryffindor. Snape did not have even that comfort. He was sorted into Slytherin and I think it was extremely brave of him to be friends with mum. She was the one friend he had and she gives him ultimatums and then drops him because he calls her a mudblood in anger and only because she had seen him at his most humiliating and Dumbledore says Snape disgusts him because he asked only for mum's life from Voldemort. You guys are amazing. " Harry had burst out just as furiously.

"Mate I think that is a bit over the top. Saying mudblood is not correct and your mum had all the right in the world to tell him to get lost." raising a hand asking Harry to keep quiet because he had not finished saying his piece, "wait I have not finished. Asking only for your mum's life and not caring for yours or your dad's is not right. And remember he came only because of your mum. Had it been anybody else he would not have turned. Your dad is right in that." Ron had told him calmly hoping Harry would tone down.

"Sure, he would not have asked for the life of Alice Longbottom. But then I would have never asked for the life of Narcissa Malfoy but I would have killed and would have died to save Hermione or Ginny or my kids or yours. If it had been Hermione, Lavender or Parvati, I would have felt devastated but would have chosen Hermione without hesitating for a second. And you know what Ron. If Voldemort had given me a choice between the two of you I would have died before I chose but I would have still chosen her. Because you would have died without her and I would have lost two friends instead of one.

"He can hardly ask Voldemort of all people to spare the child of the Prophecy _and_ James Potter who has been attacking death eaters all over the place and _his_ own personal enemy can he? He asked for mum because he loved her and he could make a choice Ron. Not because of anything else. I ask the Headmaster if he had a choice between his sister Ariana, Grindelwald and McGonagall; whom would he have chosen?" Harry had hissed in sheer rage and Dumbledore had drawn in a sharp breath and had looked in shock at Harry.

"Why should Snape save me or dad? Would I run like hell and sell my soul to save Ginny or Lucius Malfoy? Come on and grow up. This is war we are speaking about. You don't have to be so sanctimonious and act very pious. And tell me dad _would you have died to save Snape? Any of you here?_ _Why should he then?_ And you were the good, great and honourable guys." Harry had finished scathingly.

All of them had become silent and Lily Potter had started crying in earnest. James was glaring at Harry, unable to believe what he was hearing and Dumbledore had shrivelled in shock, guilt and pain of another huge mistake.

"So you are saying Snape was a fine guy and calling everyone a mudblood was just peachy?" Ron had asked him, his ears red and his face flushed in anger.

He had been shocked at Harry's rage and had felt very uncomfortable when Harry had told him about the choices he would make and Ron knew in his inner heart that what Harry had said was true. He would have killed for Harry and Hermione, he would have sympathized for Dean and Seamus and he had lived with them for six years and they were friends. He also knew he would have laughed for Malfoy and that was who James Potter was to Snape.

He thought for a moment where the scene would be Malfoy, Hermione as Malfoy's wife and their child. His heart twisted and he gnashed his teeth. He knew whom he would have asked Voldemort to spare. And he knew if he had to make a choice between Harry and Hermione, he would have died as well, but he would have chosen Hermione and lived in guilt for the rest of his life. He looked at Harry who was glaring at him itching to hex him.

"No of course not. But that is where he comes from. He has grown up more abused than me. I had you and Hermione and then Sirius. And I had the knowledge that my parents loved me. Whom did Snape have? His father hit him all the time and his mother was a weak sullen witch. Remember how I was in my fifth year? How much I yelled and pushed you guys off because Voldemort was sticking out of my head? I would have broken had you guys run away from me because I had Voldemort in my head. Voldemort would have won the war that year. Snape had no friends except mum and she was not a very good one was she? He could not even bring himself to say a simple hello to her after what, thirty five years."

"You apologize right now Harry. Right now to your mother." James had screamed.

"Dad do you know what a friend does?" Harry had asked him quietly.

"I know very well. One friend may have betrayed, but these two were friends Harry and I am a friend to them as well. Your mother put up more than enough with the git and I will not hear you talking like this about her. Apologize right now." James had glared at Harry. Lily had stared at Harry in horror and shock.

"No I will not dad, because this is my opinion and I am entitled to it. Hermione is my friend dad. She stood by me in my third year when Sirius sent me the Firebolt and we were very thrilled, Ron and I. She went to McGonagall and told her thinking rightly it might have been from Sirius Black, whom all of us at the time thought was a murderer and after me.

"Ron and I did not speak to her for such a long time and even though she was miserable and totally alone, she did not regret her decision. In my fourth year, if she had not been with me I would have collapsed. She kept my sanity for the first task. And in my seventh year, she was already going out with Ron and still chose to stay with me when Ron was angry I was not doing enough and stormed away to Bill's place. She fought with him and she stayed even though she was so miserable without him, just because she could not let me break with the huge burden I was already facing. She knew I would have broken and would have had no clue what to do, had she packed her bags and gone with Ron, who was so angry and accused her of choosing me over him before he left."

Harry glared at his sobbing mother. "_I had Voldemort in my head mum_. My friends did not desert me and I won. He was only friends with Avery and Mulciber. Yes, that was wrong and he was a bigoted git with twisted ideas. But where was anyone to whom he could look up and take guidance from? The only girl _he_ respected was so high up there he was lost."

Hermione had had tears rolling down her eyes as she listened to Harry whom she loved like the brother she had never had. She had known Harry appreciated her help and that he loved her too, but this was the first time she had heard him speak so openly. He was still extremely closed about his feelings and sometimes even Ginny had trouble understanding him. She could read him like a book, though.

Ron had no answers to that and Harry had turned and glared at Dumbledore. "He came to you because he was desperate and you used him very nicely didn't you, never respecting him as a human being, all because he hated one Harry Potter and he was frustrated and foolish enough to become a death eater and ask only for Lily's life. You never trusted him and told him what he needed to know and ultimately you did not even give him the satisfaction that he had done his duty to the girl he had loved by telling him I would live through the curse.

"For sixteen years he had put his life in danger and he died without the knowledge both about the Elder wand and thinking he had failed Lily Evans because all his efforts could not save her boy."

"Harry I could hardly tell him everything. It would have been dangerous to him." Dumbledore had pleaded weakly still in shock about Harry's statements about his choices regarding his sister.

"Yeah you could not. You could tell me about the Prophecy and the horcruxes even though I had no skill in Occlumency but you could not take an _oath_ from him and reveal it to him. Especially when he had been doing so much for so long. You thought Draco, his mother and his father worth saving but not Snape. Lucius Malfoy never ever repented becoming a death eater and all of them would have stayed loyal to Voldemort if Draco had not been targeted. Yet, you did not want to hurt them and while I can understand Draco who was just nasty and a bully I could never accept his parents.

"It was because of Narcissa Malfoy's manipulations of Kreacher that Sirius died. Lucius Malfoy has killed along with the best of them and done so much harm in the Ministry and still we don't see you treating them like you did Snape. It had taken all of you fifteen years to acknowledge his contributions and all of you feel indignant he was not thankful enough. All of you suck." Harry had had enough and he had turned and walked away.

The last four years after that confrontation Harry had never stepped into the Headmaster's office and had stopped discussing his past in any way to his parents, Sirius and Lupin.

He spoke to them only about the news in The Daily Prophet and about his children and the Quidditch matches played here and there. No Voldemort, Snape, Dursleys, his work, nothing.

He had only pleasant chit chats never serious discussions about anything. James and Lily Potter had broken down and Sirius had tried his best to make Harry see sense. Only Lupin had understood what Harry had been trying to put across because that was how he had been treated because he was a werewolf and he never tried to convince Harry that the way they had treated Snape was okay.

Harry himself had reacted the way he had because he had seen a lot of himself in Snape. He too had been given no information and had not been trusted until it was too late. No one had told him that Snape had been friends with his mother. No one had told him about the connections he had with Voldemort and he had lost Sirius because of that.

Dumbledore had also made him fight his battle alone. He could have done so much better and saved a lot of those who had died if only he had been allowed to tell certain members of the Order under a magical oath about the horcruxes and asked for their help and also have a united front in fighting Voldemort. Snape alone would have helped him with searching out the horcruxes had he known about them.

All this secrecy Harry had felt only made the already tough task colossal. It had been sheer luck he had won and had destroyed all the horcruxes. So when he had realized Dumbledore had played with Snape just like he had with him, he had seen red and had lashed out at everyone.

He also meant every word he had spoken to his mother. He knew that support from your people and your closest circle made all the difference between winning and losing anything. Snape had lost that day when he had screamed 'mudblood' to his mother. Her lack of understanding and support and her ultimatums with a holier than thou attitude had made him seek the other side that had already attracted him so much.

He was a git, a bully, and very spiteful but Harry knew he was like that because everyone was like that to him in the first place. Apart from Lily no one had shown him trust, friendship and love. He had been laughed at for his shabby clothes and hooked nose. Snape did not know the meaning of trust, value and love and even with Lily he had had it buried so deep in his heart that he had not recognized it or acknowledged it himself. That had been his undoing.

Snape had been used just like he, Harry had been; only he was not fortunate to survive the war because he had no one, unlike Harry who had Hermione, Ron, the Weasleys and the Order with him.

Ron had never tried to speak to him about Snape after that day. He avoided Snape and all allied subjects like the plague and when Harry and Hermione would discuss Ron and Ginny would sit silently on the sidelines and watch.

Now after dropping off his sons at the King's Cross station, Harry and Ginny reached Godric's Hollow and walked in along with Ron, Hermione, Lily and Hugo.

They walked in and Harry and Ron who had decided to make lunch for the family went into the kitchen arguing about the merits of Chudley Cannons and all that the team that had not won for over a century had to do to come even close to winning the Quidditch cup.

Ginny rolled her eyes and grinned at Hermione. They were sitting in the kitchen and listening to the arguments between the boys. James, Lily, Sirius and Lupin also walked into the kitchen and a more hilarious discussion ensued and soon all of them were having a delicious lunch.

Ron was looking very proud of the aroma that came from the dishes and Harry was very much amused.

They finished chatting and laughing about that season's hopefuls and about which matches they would never want to miss and slowly they made their way out to the drawing room and settled down with their coffee.

"Ah this is life." Ron groaned in pleasure taking a sip of his coffee.

"Don't you have to go to the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes?" James asked him.

Ron grinned shook his head. "No James I got the day off. My daughter is going to school for the first time and it is so long since I met with Harry so leisurely, I decided to bunk."

Hermione smiled at her husband and turned to smile at Harry. "You have taken the day off too, today Harry?" she asked him.

"No Hermione, I will be going in the evening and look at some paperwork, but only for a couple of hours." Harry smiled back at her.

They spent time until Harry was to leave chatting and arguing pleasantly. Just before Harry was to leave for his office, Lily spoke up. Ron, Hermione and Hugo had decided to stay for dinner and Hermione had decided to accompany Harry to the Ministry and look at a few papers herself. She was one of the top officials in the department of Magical Law Enforcement.

"Harry even today Albus was asking after you dear." Lily said softly.

"Yes mum. That is very nice of him." Harry said equally softly and only with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

'Harry he wants to meet with you alone and talk to you about something very important." Lily said persevering. James, Sirius and Lupin were like Ron. They never spoke about Snape and Dumbledore.

"I think I will pass mum. Really." Harry smiled at her, a bit of warning in his voice.

"He wants to apologize to you Harry. Is that too much for him to ask?" Lily asked him not caring for the warning in his tone.

"He need not apologize to me mum. He needs to do that to Snape." Harry replied finality in his tone, "I have nothing against him mum."

"Then go and see him now. Please Harry. Listen to me this once." Lily pleaded with him.

Harry was silent for some time. "Okay I will see him tonight after I finish with my paperwork and he had better not sound all knowing or act as if he had only best intentions in his heart." Harry growled, a bit unfairly because Dumbledore did have the best intentions, only he manipulated everyone to achieve them.

"But he did Harry. He did think the best. Only he lost sight of the fact that he was dealing with persons with human emotions. So did I." she said very softly. Harry looked sharply at her.

"I was so intent on the obvious sense of right and wrong, I committed a blunder that will make me swim in my guilt until the end of time or until Severus forgives me. As I don't see that happening, I must live with this guilt Harry. My excuse is I was very young and I was well pathetic." She finished tremulously.

Harry nodded sadly. "Yes mum. You were very young and you were fighting against the word mudblood to notice more. I do not blame you but Dumbledore should have been able to see more. He did not because he too thought Slytherin was not worthy and those in Slytherin were truly bad."

"That is not true Harry." Lily argued with him. No one else was speaking until now when Hermione spoke.

"It is true Lily. I remember Snape's memories where Dumbledore says Snape is brave and that he feels that they sort too early in Hogwarts. I received the worst insults from Slytherin, but even I know that not all Slytherin is bad just as not all Gryffindor is good. Peter was a Gryffindor and Snape was a Slytherin." She smiled her eyes showing her understanding at Lily's plight and guilt but siding with Harry all the same.

Lily sighed and left it there lest Harry changed his mind.

Dumbledore had been deeply upset and he had withdrawn into himself for many weeks before he even spoke a word to the others. He realized once again the mistakes he had committed in the name of the greater good had made Snape and so many others pay a very heavy price for them.

He had sent word to the Malfoy home asking for Snape to come at least once to his portrait but so far there had been no reply. He had been asking for Harry at regular intervals and he had wanted to grovel to Harry and also enlist his aid in trying to get Snape here to Hogwarts or allow Albus Dumbledore to go to even Malfoy Manor and also seek his salvation.

He was willing to do anything to talk to Snape and beg for his forgiveness. But in the last four years Snape had not visited even once.

Harry had not asked to see Snape. He knew Snape hated him and to tell the truth Harry himself did not feel any great love for the man. But he had sympathized and shared an empathy with the man for doing so much for so little.

Now Harry and Hermione got up a little lazily promising to come back in a few hours and nodding to his mother's anxious reminder to visit Dumbledore and went to the fireplace.

Harry and Hermione threw a bit of floo powder and flooed straight into the Ministry's auror office and waved goodbye to Hermione who took the floo from his office to hers. Harry sat down and for the next two hours there was only silence as Harry waded his way through a lot of paperwork.

He was putting his papers away when his floo burnt green and his assistant's head poked out and seeing him, looked very relieved and asked him to come over urgently.

Harry was there the next minute and followed his deputy to a holding cell.

"Harry he was captured because of very dark activity in one of the remote islands in the Outer Hebrides and following that trail we were able to capture him. He has not spoken so far and veritaserum has no effect on him."

"Where exactly was this place?" Harry asked him and got the place in one of the remotest corner of the Outer Hebrides.

"What else did you find there?" Harry asked him frowning. The man was wild looking and was probably older than Albus Dumbledore. He had snow white hair that looked unkempt and he was dressed very shabbily. His eyes were grey and they were very alert and very bright and right now they were piercing Harry's face calmly without a hint of fear.

"What else did you find there? Anything at all?" Harry asked still looking at the man who was looking straight back at him.

"We found a potion bubbling away in a cauldron and this chain with a very small time turner hanging on his neck." The deputy said very helpfully.

Harry was now curious. He leaned forward still not touching the chain or the time turner, took a careful look at it and then looked at the man.

"Sir, there was a huge dark magic registered in the area where you were living. No other magical creature or human wizard or witch was found except you. Do you have anything to say and could you please tell us what you were most likely researching?"

The wild man's eyes widened at this line of polite questioning.

Harry smiled. "If you have a reasonable answer for our query, there is no reason why you cannot get back to what you were doing." He said softly.

The man cleared his throat and spoke slowly. "I have been researching time turners Mr. Potter. Yes I am responsible for the dark activity and that was because I was adding certain runes to defeat time and combined they sparked off dark magic. I meant no harm sir."

The deputy scowled, "You could have told me all that. I wouldn't have disturbed Harry."

Harry smiled. "No matter Geoff. Have you been successful in creating them though?" he asked thoughtfully.

"I don't know sir. I have these notes of my ancestor and they are incomplete at best. I have been trying to fill in the gaps, without much success though."

"What is this time turner Geoff removed from you?" he asked the one his deputy was holding.

"Oh I bought that in a second hand shop more than a century ago when I started my research for them. This is not real."

Harry took it into his hands and examined it, sending his magic to it. The time turner was so tiny there were only a few grains, maybe only twenty five or so. Each grain was round and well defined.

Harry's magic examined it and there was no magical response and Harry concluded the man was telling the truth. He asked a few more questions about the potion and the rune combination and silently agreed that the dark magic was a result of the potion and rune combination and nothing else.

He nodded to the old, wild man and was about to hand over the minute time turner when it slipped from his hand and fell to the floor.

Harry using his seeker reflexes tried to catch it before it hit the floor. But the time turner was faster than him and it hit the floor and broke. Harry wildly tried to grab it and fell on top of it. For a second there was nothing.

Then,

Harry felt everything spinning away. Glimpse of so many incidents came rushing to him and he could only stare helplessly and clutch his bursting head. Then he knew no more.

_**End of chapter – 1**_

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	2. Chapter 2

_**Firstly thank you all of you who have read this new fiction and to everyone who had reviewed. Thank you so much. **_

_**This is a Harry going back in time story. Only I have made him go back after the epilogue of the DH. So he goes back 25 years in time. Naturally Harry being who he is changes the past, starting with Sirius. The pairings will also CHANGE, because Harry is not the same person as he was before. So the outlook of Harry changes and as a result of that his friends and girlfriends also change. I have not decided on the new pairings though. This will not be Harry/Ginny because I am not convinced about that pairing in Book 7. Sorry if that offends anyone. Harry though in the next few chapters, will grieve about Ginny and especially his kids. That I think is only natural before he is able to move forward.**_

_**Thank you gd**_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 2**_

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Harry woke up after what seemed to be an eternity to the sound of screaming coming from somewhere outside. It was very dark where he was, presumably lying down and the voice was screeching at him to come out and use the toilet.

"Boy," the long forgotten voice screeched, "If you don't come now you will have to do without until today evening." Harry was astounded.

That sounded like his aunt Petunia shouting at him when he had been with the Dursleys. "Okay. Stay there and wallow in your piss. The smell had better not come out." She threatened and Harry could hear her stomp away.

Harry automatically flicked both his hands waiting for his wands to fall out. Nothing came. It was very dark and he was terribly disoriented. And the lack of his two wands made him feel very vulnerable. While Harry could do almost everything wandlessly, his wands were a part of him and he felt naked without them.

"_Lumos_." Harry flicked his hand and a low light came into his cupboard. Cupboard? _He was in No. 4 Privet Drive and in his cupboard_? What the hell was happening? Harry trembled with fear, an emotion he had not felt in more than nineteen years.

Harry flicked his hand once more and a mirror came and floated in front of him. Harry screamed a little when he saw himself and then immediately flicked his shaking hands a bit uncertainly twice and erected a silencing charm and a muggle repelling one at his cupboard door. He was mighty relieved when the spells worked, forgetting that he had already cast a lumos and a mirror. He was totally disoriented.

For a few minutes Harry simply sat still trying to think and then slowly conjured a steaming cup of tea.

He held the hot rich spiced tea in his hands and slowly sipped it, wondering what had happened that had transported him to the bloody cupboard he had thought he had left it forever along with the Dursleys so many years ago and on top of that he looked like a little boy he had been all those years ago.

Suddenly Harry had another thought that made him pale and sweat and his hands trembled so much that all the tea was spilling onto his lap and Harry was so horrified by his suspicions, he did not even notice the hot liquid spilling onto him, burning his thighs.

He flicked his hand and slowly saw the date that shimmered in front of him; his cup slipped from his nerveless hands and crashed to the floor and Harry just sat there for almost an hour staring at the date.

He had gone back in time. He was about to become eleven and receive his Hogwarts letter in a few days. He was here in his cupboard because of speaking to the Boa Constrictor at the zoo and letting it out, he remembered clearly.

That meant _**Oh Merlin! Voldemort was alive and so were Bellatrix Lestrange and all his horcruxes**_.

Then another thought came to him. _**Sirius!**_ He was alive too and so were Lupin and Tonks and Fred and Hedwig and Mad-Eye Moody!

Merlin! What a joke. Merlin! James, Albus and Lily, his three children. OH NO. His children were not yet born and would not be for many years. Harry gave a huge sob when he thought of his three kids. They were no longer a part of this world, his world, because they were not born yet. Ohhhh! How terrible.

Suddenly Harry's head snapped up. Snape! He was alive too. And Albus Dumbledore!

But Harry did not want to see any of them. He wanted to go back to his life with Ginny and the kids. That was what his life was now and he wanted his family and his children. They were everything now.

He did not want to fight the bloody war all over again. He did not want to do anything that might change the future and make him lose his kids or Ginny or Ron and Hermione. He had his parents, Sirius and everyone there.

Harry had made his peace with all the deaths starting from Sirius, Remus, Dumbledore, Snape and even Hedwig. Today Albus his baby boy would be sorted and he was here in his eleven year body. He was even going to meet Dumbledore's portrait and sort out everything with him. How could this have happened now?

Harry put his head into his hands in despair. The bloody so called toy time turner was real and it was far more potent than all the time turners he had ever read about or heard about. It had transported him twenty five years back to a horrible world. A world where none of the mess had even started to happen.

A world where Voldemort and all his horcruxes were alive and kicking; where he had seven agonizing years before losing every one again. Before being shattered once again and then slowly picking up the pieces of his life, dealing with his guilt over Hedwig and Lupin and Snape and all the others who had died.

What truly scared Harry was the lack of knowledge about time turners and scarier was the fact that what was known about them was very disturbing. Time turners were not to be used lightly. Definitely not for more than a few hours at a stretch. After Harry's fight at the Department of Mysteries in his fifth year, all the time turners had been completely destroyed.

It was many years later that the Department of Mysteries managed to create time turners, though not small ones like Harry had stupidly broken and only those that could turn time for a few hours at a time. Harry had one of those time turners himself at his home. He used them for an hour or two when he had a lot of paperwork. But never on assignment and never when he was hunting death eaters or other fugitives.

Too much could go wrong because of time and Harry had never wanted to risk anything by cheating time to win. He knew they would stand to lose a lot more. Now he was caught in a web of total uncertainty and Harry was so scared he was sweating profusely as he sat there in the small glow of his lumos that still had not extinguished.

There were so many what ifs. What if he never married Ginny and had his three kids came at the top and would not go away to be replaced with other equally frightening thoughts.

For Harry the loss of his family was the greatest change that could happen in this time. He knew how much ever he tried to keep everything the same all the bloody same, things had a way of changing and going out of control. Harry couldn't stop the tears that ran down his face.

Only that morning twenty five years; a quarter of a century later he had comforted his young son. What if time changed in such a way he never saw his children again? He was not so worried about not seeing Ginny; he would after all next year, but he was worried if they would have the same chemistry once again. If they did not then he had seen the last of his kids.

He had lost them. Now the tears poured and Harry sobbed with fear and grief as he sat there all day and all through the night; the muggle repelling charm keeping his aunt and her family away.

He went to sleep still crying and very tired and woke up all disoriented the next morning and felt wretched once again when he remembered where he was. Albus would have been sorted.

But no, wait. There was no James, Albus or Lily. Yet. Still. They were the future. Harry trembled and he prayed to everything that was magic and omnipotent to march through this time and have his kids once again. Have his wife and his family and his sanity and his happiness.

Then he wiped his eyes and squared his shoulders. There was no use crying over this because there was no way to go back and Harry did not want to go to the Department of Mysteries and search for time turners. It would be his luck to go to a future where Ginny and everyone had died and only he was alive. Harry had that kind of luck after all.

Harry had only two options. To sit tight and let everything happen as it did in the past. Allow Sirius to rot in Azkaban for two more years. Let Wormtail escape in his third. Allow Cedric and all the others to die and then he would win the war with Voldemort and get on with his life. Harry smiled bitterly. He knew that this was never an option.

It was time for the second act of his miserable life to begin and Harry knew this time everything would change. He would take everything thrown at him, anything if only he could have his kids again. But he would plan later. Now he would have to get through the bloody day being his aunt's house elf.

He flicked his hand. At least he thought he had his knowledge and his skills. Suddenly his eyes widened. He flicked his hand and enlarged his cupboard and concentrated for a second and then there was no Harry but a Phoenix, a viper and a stag.

Harry transformed into himself once again and breathed a sigh of relief and quickly went through all his spells and his shields; the Occlumency that came to him in his seventh year and one he had practised very hard and now had impeccable Occlumency shields.

Then he brought back the cupboard to its original size once again sighing in relief. Now, this time around, he knew all about wards and also about how he had been protected here and how he could move around them if he needed to without alerting one Albus Dumbledore about it.

Also the Ministry of Magic had no way of registering wandless magic and he was safe. He also knew Albus had no instrument to record magic performed here and the reason he had got caught with the Hover charm of Dobby's that had made the cake fall on the Dursleys guest and bloating aunt Marge was because of magic was performed in both instances in the presence of a muggle.

So he was safe. He cancelled all the charms and waited for his aunt to open the door and allow him to the bathroom. He also vanished the tea cup with the tea and sat there.

Half an hour later his aunt came without shouting and just a little guiltily because she had forgotten about the freak living in the cupboard. "Come out Boy." She was surprised to not to smell anything. She had come with her fingers pinching her nose and looking around in distaste and then was very surprised.

Harry acted faint and stumbled out, closing his eyes to the bright light outside and went to the bathroom and cast a muggle repelling charm on the door. A moment later he heard his aunt go down muttering confusedly to herself.

Harry grinned bitterly. How much he had suffered, all because Albus bloody Dumbledore thought Harry's fame would get to his head. Harry had blown a fuse and destroyed a few more items in the Headmaster's office, only it was the headmistress's office at that time and he had half scorched Dumbledore's portrait when he had learned of it.

Dumbledore had placidly told him that a few weeks in a year would have done the trick but he had not wanted Harry to fall prey to fame. Harry had stared disbelievingly at him and told him, well shouted, screamed and ranted at him for a good half an hour why fickle fame would have been far better for him than the humbling experience of the Dursleys.

Dumbledore had been shocked. He had known Harry's life had been less than perfect but Harry's bitter grief had wounded him deeply. Of course that would be nothing once Snape's portrait came on the scene.

He stood for a long time under the shower and let the hot water run down. A small flick from his hand ensured the water to remain hot all the time. Then Harry soaked his dirty smelly clothes and flicked his hand blessing his wandless ability and looked on as they washed and dried by themselves.

Harry turned off the shower, removed the charm from the shower nozzle that would heat the water as it sprinkled out and dried himself by conjuring a nice towel. Then he put on his clothes looking at his skinny and starved body in distaste and dressed in the shabby but much cleaner rags of Dudley and cancelled the muggle repelling charm.

In three minutes his aunt came screeching to find Harry looking very small and tired and sitting on the toilet seat. She shouted at him asking him to come out and pointed to the kitchen and placed a plate with two slices of bread, a very thin piece of ham and some stale cheese and told him to take a glass of water from the tap.

Harry silently did all that she said and ate the very insufficient meal; he frowned as he bent his head down over his plate and realized he had to do something about this. For more than twenty years he had been accustomed to good food and he could hardly swallow this crap without retching.

But before that he had to take care of his Hogwarts letter that was due to come in, in a few days time.

Harry finished his meal and with a very slight flick of his hand made his aunt send him to his cupboard for the rest of the day. There Harry conjured a hot cup of good coffee and with a muggle repelling charm sat down to think about his kids and the good life he had lost.

As he slowly sipped his coffee, Harry realized that this time around it would be different for a variety of reasons. One he knew about the future that had been written already and he also knew about all the deaths that would take place, so it was his duty to try his best and prevent those deaths as much as he could and more importantly also make sure that because fate was cheated of taking the lives of all these persons who would die in the next seven years; she would not take away new ones.

He knew by changing fate he was venturing once again into the unknown and he would not be prepared because the consequences would be different and even frightening; but that would not allow him to allow Sirius to languish in jail or allow Snape to kill Dumbledore or Barty Crouch Jr. to kill his father and make a portkey of the Triwizard Cup and ensure Cedric's death.

That was what scared Harry. The moment he changed a single thing, even Hagrid coming for him, he would be stepping into the unknown. But just because it was the unknown he could not let Sirius rot in Azkaban and allow everyone to die so that Harry could have his life back again.

His lips twisted humourlessly; the choice was so easy; once again fate had told him he did not deserve the happiness he had been having or the control he had over his own life. She did not want either for Harry and so she had cast him once again into this mess.

He cursed once again about coming back in time and do all that he did once again. He was not the same Harry; he did not know how in the name of heaven he was going to strike a friendship with Ron, and then Hermione, and later Ginny.

Harry groaned as he vanished his cup and lay down in the cupboard. He felt so helpless and so unsure, two emotions he had almost forgotten in the long years of calm, quiet and content living.

Tears came to his eyes and flowed once again when he realized what his actions would bring; uncertainty for the future and the almost sure realization that his kids were a part of his memory and nothing more. If only he could be sure that he and Ginny would get together this time too and have James, Albus and Lily, Harry knew he would walk over hot coals, face Voldemort another three times with his horcruxes thrown in, anything.

But he was not sure. He did not know how a thirty six year old Harry, who would become forty one year old Harry, would woo and marry Ginny. A sob came from him. He was so confused; he really did not know what to think.

He had been so happy.

Harry slept off and woke up at around dinner time and removed the muggle repelling spells.

Within ten minutes his aunt opened the door and told him sternly that he could come out of his cupboard but no funny tricks. Harry nodded passively and went to the kitchen to make dinner.

As he set the table, Vernon and Dudley waddled in and Harry saw them for the first time in over twenty years. He did not realize he had been staring until his uncle snapped at him.

"Why are you staring Boy?"

"Nothing Uncle. I am sorry." Harry mumbled automatically; apparently all these years had not erased the first miserable ten years of his life.

Harry looked around cautiously and went to the kitchen and sat by himself and ate the pitiful stuff his aunt had given him.

"May I help myself to a glass of water from the kitchen tap?" Harry asked very softly.

He got a nod before his aunt went back to piling food on her 'Dudders' plate and Harry nauseated by the amount of food on Dudley's plate, left quickly.

The first thing Harry decided as he cleaned; actually they cleaned by themselves Harry only had his hands in the soap water, would be to ensure he received his Hogwarts letter without any fuss and all the drama and his aunt's special speech like last time.

With that in mind Harry searched for a few spells in his mind and finally came up with a combination of three spells that would make the Dursleys very eager to send him to Hogwarts.

He needed to charm only Petunia and Vernon, Dudley did not know about the world of magic and so he would not be included in the charm. He had even stopped calling them aunt and uncle when he was about nineteen. Harry scowled.

He went into the drawing room and cast his three spells at Petunia first and suddenly changing his mind he only placed a listening and a mild compulsion charm on Vernon. She turned to frown at him for daring to walk across the drawing room where her family was relaxing and her frown let up when she saw Harry went straight to the cupboard.

Then another thought apparently hit her and her eyes widened. "Boy." She called loudly.

"Yes aunt Petunia?" Harry stood there deferentially.

"How old are you now?"

"I will be eleven years this July aunt Petunia."

Her eyes narrowed and she shooed him away to go back to his cupboard. Harry went into his cupboard placing an eavesdropping spell on the drawing room as he went. He sat down there conjuring a cup of cold water; after the dry meal he had been forced to have he wanted only water and sipping it slowly, he listened in on the conversation in the drawing room.

"Dudley pet, why don't you go to the kitchen where Mummy has made a nice chocolate cake for my Dudders? You may watch the T.V., there pet."

Dudley would not have answered but for the chocolate cake. He grunted, that was his answer and he stood up and waddled to the kitchen table. It seems to have made his mother extraordinarily proud that her pet listened to her. She ignored the fact that it was the chocolate cake that made Dudley react so intelligently and obediently.

Harry snorted and scowled as he listened to his aunt. How much he had hurt and how much he had felt unwanted and bewildered that his aunt, his mother's sister had treated him like a slave. Well not this time. Harry shook his head angrily and listened as his aunt began whispering to his uncle.

"Vernon, put off the T.V., I want to discuss something that will help us take Potter off our hands ten months in a year." she whispered urgently, not realizing that until then both of them had decided to make sure that they would do everything to make sure that Harry would not be magical, they would, if necessary even beat the magic out of their freakish nephew.

"What is it love?" asked Vernon.

"Potter is eleven. _She_ got a letter when she was eleven too. I don't think this disease can be cured by us Vernon. If we allow Potter to leave for his freakish school, then he will be there for ten months in a year and after his seven years, he will be here for only one year until he is eighteen and then he will be gone from our lives forever.

"This is surely better than having him here and hiding him from our neighbours. He will get the letter one of these days. I suggest we tell him to go."

Vernon was quiet for a few minutes making Harry sweat. Maybe he had not cast the charm properly he thought groaning when Vernon spoke.

"That is the best idea you have come up with my Pet. We will do that and no need to tell Dudders now. Or even the blasted Boy. We will speak and speak very casually about it, as if it is no big thing and tell him to leave. How is that?"

"Lovely." And Harry cancelled the spell when he heard sounds of kissing and a slight groaning from Vernon. He did not need those images for Merlin's sake, he thought and shuddered.

The next few days went by slowly and it was two weeks later in fact that the Hogwarts letter came.

All of them were sitting for breakfast when the letters came.

"Boy go and get the mail." Venom told him from behind the newspaper. Dudley, who had already been enrolled into Smeltings, smirked at him.

Harry rolled his eyes and went to get the mail. He saw the familiar letter that had come only a month or so ago to his son and his heart felt very tight all of a sudden.

He picked it up and went to the dining room. He was now allowed to sit at the table as his official punishment was over and he sat there and placing the mail by his uncle's plate, went to his own place and removed his letter and opened it swiftly.

"Mum look, the freak had got a letter." Dudley said in between huge bites.

Petunia and Vernon looked at each other and waited for Harry to finish reading the letter and then Harry looked up apparently amazed.

"Someone has sent me a joke aunt Petunia." He said and tucked it into his baggy pants.

"Give me the letter." His aunt said crisply. "I know what it is."

Harry silently gave her the letter.

His aunt read the letter. She felt a burst of jealousy burn through her. Then she clamped down on her feelings and attended to the matter on hand.

"Potter, this is not a joke." She started. Dudley was shocked into not eating by his mother's almost polite words to the freak.

"What! But aunt Petunia that letter says I am a wizard." Harry exclaimed properly shocked and taken aback.

She nodded jealously and distastefully. "Your mother was one too, a witch I mean and your father was a wizard. They foolishly died because they were freaks and stupid and after they died the old fool of a man sent you here." She said not realizing she had used the words witch and wizard, words none of the Dursleys would have dared to use in the past.

"Boy, now listen to me. You will go to this school and make sure you stay there the whole year. If they can keep you during the summer, then you will opt for that also. Alright?" Vernon said growling and staring at Harry.

Harry nodded his head, his eyes wide with shock and amazement.

"How will I write to tell them I am coming there?" Harry asked his aunt and slightly flicking his finger at her.

"You write a letter and we will take you to London to a place where all the freaks meet and you can find out there and also ask this Dumbledore for money to buy all this. We will not be supporting your purchases for the freakish school." She added, earning Vernon's approval.

"I have work tomorrow and you be ready by eight, Boy." He snapped and turned to his paper. Dudley looked at this strange conversation with shock.

"I will explain everything to you Popkins. Now you concentrate on your breakfast." His aunt cooed, making Harry sick. He asked for the letter to take it with him to his cupboard.

His aunt folded the letter and placed it inside the envelope and then paled.

"Vernon look at this. Are they watching? They must be." She said showing the cover that had been addressed to the 'Cupboard under the Stairs"

Vernon Dursley pompously took the cover and paled. "This, this… what is this Petunia. How could they know?"

His aunt wrung her hands. "I really don't get it."

She turned to Harry, "Get all your things from the cupboard and shift to the small bedroom. Now." She barked and Harry ran.

"Mum," Dudley wailed, "Why does the freak get to stay in my second bedroom? It's unfair. I don't wanna give it to him."

"Popkins, I will explain it to you and mummy will give you a special treat for being so understanding won't we Vernon?"

"Of course Petunia. Bring Dudders in the afternoon to London and we will have a nice treat for him. We can come back after dinner and Potter can take the bus home by himself."

Harry grimaced bitterly as the Dursleys chatted and petted Dudley. This was home and according to Dumbledore and he thought that Harry was away from the fame that would have made his head big. Though the Dursleys did not _like_ magic, that was a euphemism, if ever Harry heard one, and they did not like Harry very much, Dumbledore in all his wisdom had felt Harry would be fine here.

Harry softly snorted to himself and settled down in the second bedroom. He first sensed for any magical spell and found nothing just as Dumbledore had told him.

He relaxed and put away his meagre stuff into an old cupboard and using wandless magic, cleaned the bed, the sheets and the pillow and its cover. He also tidied the book shelf and placing a muggle repelling ward, summoned a notebook that was on the book shelf and a pencil and looked pensively at the wall in front of him.

The greatest factor in ensuring that nothing would go like it did the first time was himself, thought Harry as he chewed the pencil. He had changed so much. He was thirty six years after all and he had cast killing curses and he was no innocent that went with so much hope to the station at King's Cross.

Nor was he so naïve as he was before to accept everything at face value and following all the traits he had developed at the Dursleys of not asking questions.

The only scars he visibly carried from his earlier shunned existence at the Dursleys was that he was still very protective and much closed about his feelings and he knew that apart from Hermione no one could read him completely. Not even Ginny. Ron could very vaguely sense his mood shifts at times but he was pretty clueless and never knew how to act upon his suspicions.

Now knowing so much of the future Harry knew the priority was rescuing Sirius from the hell on earth. Azkaban. By doing that alone, he was changing the future where Sirius escaped only in his third year.

Harry sighed and put his head on the desk and lay down there grieving for his kids, Ginny and his life until evening. He got up feeling hungry and cancelled the charms and not five minutes later his aunt called him down to prepare dinner.

Harry went down feeling wretched and he prepared dinner in record time and ate silently and then cleaning the dishes and the kitchen in no time walked up when his uncle reminded him about leaving the next day to London.

"Be ready by eight, Boy. You will find your way back from there. We will not be buying you your things. You will have to contact the school from there; ask anyone and they will tell you how. Ask them to pay for your things. Tell them you are an orphan alright? That will do the trick."

Harry felt a sudden rage coming over him. But he simply nodded and left upstairs and lay down on his bed staring at the ceiling thinking of his old life.

He slipped away to sleep.

At half past seven in the morning his aunt woke him up and yelled at him to get ready.

Harry was down in ten minutes time and his uncle told him to wait by the car.

Harry went bitterly to the car. Apparently his aunt and uncle felt he could beg his way from breakfast until lunch and even dinner.

In ten minutes his uncle came out and Harry got in at the back and his uncle drove silently until they reached London. His aunt had told Vernon to drop him off very near The Leaky Cauldron, giving him specific instructions because Vernon would not be able to see the pub. Petunia could not see either but she knew the place because she had gone very reluctantly with her parents to shop for Lily.

Harry got down and shut the door.

"Make sure you get back home today night or tomorrow morning." His uncle told him before he drove away.

Harry watched him drive away and he wandlessly cast a notice-me-not charm and an obscure but a very nifty charm that Hermione had created in the future that would keep his aura and himself very inconspicuous against magic eyes like those of Mad-Eye's magical eyes.

He walked to The Leaky Cauldron and stepped inside. There a many people sitting and chatting quietly, the aroma of lovely hot food spread all over the pub and making Harry's mouth water.

But he could not order anything until he had the money and so Gringotts was his first destination. He waited outside near the entrance to Diagon Alley and about fifteen minutes later the bricks opened from the other side and a few giggling witches made their way out of Diagon Alley and into The Leaky Cauldron and they did not notice a boy who slipped past them.

The said boy with a cap on his head to hide both the scar and his messy black hair went once again into Diagon Alley to purchase everything to start his school years all over again.

_**End of Chapter – 2**_

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	3. Chapter 3

_**Thank you all of you who have read this story and to every one who has reviewed it. Thank you Noreen, waterlily16, blah and D3BBiE**_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 3**_

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Harry stepped into Diagon Alley and walked briskly towards Gringotts. Diagon Alley was a bit subdued compared to the years after the war when it had slowly picked up itself and then had blossomed. The last three to four years Diagon Alley was a bustling centre with huge businesses, all making a hefty profit.

Harry noticed all this as he walked towards the white structure of the wizarding bank. He smiled a little at the goblins standing guard and went inside and chose a counter that was not only empty but also had no one at the counters on each side.

He walked up to the goblin that sneered at him and smiled and pushed a piece of paper towards it.

_My name is Harry James Potter and I wish to speak to you in private._

_Harry_

The goblin looked at Harry and its eyes flicked to Harry's forehead and looked at his face again. Harry had removed all the charms once he had stepped into the banks not needing to have the goblins suspicious at him. Seeing the goblin trying to peer at his scar, Harry obliged and lifted his cap slightly and pushed his hair.

The goblin's eyes flicked to his scar once again and it nodded.

"Place a drop of blood on this parchment." It said, removing another parchment and snapping its fingers at the parchment and handed it to Harry. Harry saw that the parchment had the name of Harry James Potter written on it.

The goblin handed over a small knife when it saw Harry was looking at his finger and trying to cut it with a small pencil, he had found in his pocket.

"Thanks." Harry told it and did not see the goblin raise its eyebrows at the single word. No one generally spoke to the goblins with so much casual acceptance. Harry returned the knife and placed a drop of blood on the parchment and watched the goblin examine it and then the goblin got up and gestured Harry to follow him and went down the long aisle and into a room.

"Yes Mr. Potter, what can I do for you?" the goblin asked.

"First off I would like to know about my vaults. My family after the death of my parents are muggles and they have not told me anything except to enquire here sir." Harry replied politely.

The goblin muttered something and snapped its fingers and Harry's statements appeared on the table. The goblin looked through it and then lifted its head and looked at Harry.

"You have two vaults, yours and your parents vault Mr. Potter. Some of the money is in your vault and the rest in your parents' vault."

"How do I access them sir?" Harry asked.

The goblin frowned, "Don't you have your key Mr. Potter?"

Harry shook his head.

"Very well." It snapped its finger again and another goblin appeared and after a whispered conversation with the goblin sitting in front of Harry, left the room and shortly with two keys.

"These are the keys to your vaults Mr. Potter. Please keep them safely."

"Sir," Harry asked hesitantly, "My aunt told me my parents' had a house. Do you have any details of their home and any other assets they might have had?"

"You have one property called Godric's Hollow in Wales Mr. Potter. All relevant papers are in your parents' vault." It told Harry looking through some files, all marked Potter.

"May I request you to keep my coming here very confidential and I also need something to withdraw both wizarding and muggle money without having to come to the bank every time. Is there something for that?" Harry asked the gobbling his eyes wide and innocent.

"Yes Mr. Potter. There is and I will give you a pouch that will turn to a wallet when you want to use it in the muggle world. I will also bind it to you, so that it will never get lost or misplaced. All you have to do is to state from where you wish the money to come from, your vault or your parents' and it will come into your pouch from there."

Harry nodded in satisfaction. Now he had got over the accessing of money properly, he was safe and did not need to depend on Mrs. Weasley or Bill to get money every time for him. And he fervently hoped he would never antagonize the goblins as he had for getting into Bellatrix's vault and hoped he had a better way of getting the horcrux.

Harry thanked the goblin and went out to go to both his vaults and he came face to face with Griphook. He smiled at the goblin who scowled at Harry before silently leading him down to his vault first.

It was the same as last time and Harry opened it and then he walked around and picked up a few galleons and walking out he nodded to Griphook to tell him he was finished here and would now like to visit his parents' vault.

They went down to where Harry' parents' vaults were and Harry went inside, telling Griphook he would be there for some time.

His vault was actually his father's opened by his grandfather, when James Potter came of age. This had been his family vault. There were some valuable items, many books, some of them rare and a lot of money.

There were also his family portraits. All of them had been sealed when they had been placed in the vault and to unseal them Harry had to use the Marauder's password, 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good' and the portraits would come alive.

But Harry did not want to do that because he was not supposed to know the word marauder let alone their password. So he looked at his parents, Sirius and Remus and Peter and let all of them remain even though he wanted to blast off Wormtail off the wall.

He smiled at all of them and shook his fist and cursed at Pettigrew and then walked around feeling at home for the first time after he had come to the past and went to a dark corner of the vault, conjured a few vials and transformed into his animagus form of a Phoenix. He shook out two feathers and then pecked himself and carefully collected a few drops his blood into a conjured vial. Next came his tears and that went into another vial.

Harry changed back and without healing his cut, transformed once again into his second animagus form of a viper and released a little bit of his venom into a very small shallow basin. Then he slowly lifted his body and dropped the viper's blood into another shallow basin and then transformed back once again.

Then once again Harry transformed into a stag and some blood and tail hair. Harry was done.

Though it was Harry, even when he transformed, he had the properties of his animagus forms, something he did not have when he was Harry. While he would have great healing properties, Harry in his Phoenix form could take the killing curse and be born, in his human, or his other two animagus forms he could get killed. The combinations of all of these into two wands would not only bind the wands to him, but would also make any curse or hex coming from them extremely powerful. Harry figured he had a Phoenix form because he had taken a killing curse two times and had survived.

He finally added his own blood to another conjured vial and he was ready to leave his vault. He healed his cut wandlessly and placing all the now sealed vials carefully into his pockets, Harry walked out.

With various ingredients Harry was ready to craft his wands; two of them. He would not go to Ollivander but to another wand crafter in Knockturn Alley.

He went up with Griphook and thanking him which brought another scowl to the irate goblin's face and sauntered out into the bright sunlight of the day. He did not go shopping directly but went into a small alley and placed a lot of charms wandlessly on himself.

He first made himself look a little older and changed his battered coat into a thick robe, carefully removing the vials first and changed his hair and eye colour. He also made his dark Brown hair stick to his forehead as a thick fringe over his scar.

Harry satisfied with his changes walked out of the alley and into the main street at Diagon Alley casually, placing a notice-me-not charm on himself. No one gave him a second look and he went first back to The Leaky Cauldron and had a huge meal.

Then he waited for a few minutes and went back into Diagon Alley when a group of people went in.

Harry first went to buy a trunk. He got himself a seven compartment one with many secret places and heavily warded against magical eyes and other devices. From there he visited the stationery shop and loaded himself with parchment, quills and everything he might need.

The next stop was to Madam Malkins. Harry purchased a lot robes, muggles clothes and undergarments and placed them in his new trunk. Shrinking his trunk that only needed him to place his hands on a particular place on the trunk, Harry went to Flourish and Blotts and stocked up on all his first year texts as given in his Hogwarts letter and then went and purchased a great many books on defence, potions, Occlumency, Legilimency, mind magics, charms, Transfiguration, animagus and runes.

Placing all of them in his trunk and walking out, Harry went to Eyelops and his heart lifted when he saw Hedwig there. Harry went straight to her and held out his arm silently, his eyes shining as he looked at her, his heart bursting with love looking at his first faithful friend.

To the surprise of the shopkeeper Hedwig sailed down and settled on Harry's hand.

"Well, that bird has never done that!" the shopkeeper gasped, astounded by the behaviour of the snowy white bird that had been slightly sullen and refusing everyone until now.

Harry smiled a genuine smile for the first time since he had come back to the past and paid for the bird. "I will call you Hedwig. Do you like your name?" he asked while the shopkeeper was counting the change.

Hedwig hooted softly and nipped Harry affectionately on his ear. She was perched on his shoulder and looked very content there. Harry also bought a nice cage and a smart perch for her and lots of owl treats. He placed the cage and the packets of owl treats into his trunk, shrunk it and left.

"I won't let you die this time Hedwig. Not if I can help it." Harry murmured fiercely his brown eyes very bright.

"Wait for at The Leaky Cauldron will you? I have some work at Knockturn Alley and I will collect you on my way back." He murmured to her and Hedwig hooted and flew away, her white wings soaring high in the air.

Harry watched her for a minute, his heart full and then turned away and walked briskly into Knockturn Alley. He went straight inside the narrow dark alley and walked for a few minutes before he came to a shop that said 'Akernicks Wand Crafters since 682 A.D'

Harry stepped into the store and walked to the counter. There was a young man there, the same man whom Harry had seen after fifteen years to have his second wand crafted with the same ingredients he had now with him in his vials.

Harry had been introduced to this wand crafter by one of his deputy's who had his wand crafted by Akernicks and swore by him. Harry had gone with his contributions from himself and his various animagus transformations and had his wand crafted.

That wand had felt so powerful and harmonious even more than his holly wand, a feat Harry had not thought possible until then. After wielding this wand, the holly wand slowly became the second wand and this wand the primary one.

Now Harry went to the counter and spoke to Akernicks.

"I have some blood and snake venom, some tail hair and two Phoenix feathers. I would like to have two wands crafted with them, please. Would you be able to do it for me?"

Akernicks simply nodded, "It will take a couple of hours. Find the wood from the pile there and give me the ingredients here."

Harry went to the pile of wood and closed his eyes and ran his hands through the different pieces of wood kept there and his hand unerringly picked out a piece of wood that felt very right in his hands. Harry opened his eyes to see it was holly. No surprises there he thought and Harry took the log of wood to the wand crafter.

"I will come back in a couple of hours from now." Akernicks nodded already frowning over the holly.

Harry left the wand shop and went a little deeper and came to an apothecary that a little tucked inside, almost into another smaller alley of the main Knockturn Alley.

Harry walked briskly inside and ordered a list of normal school requirements and also other ingredients most of them on the banned list and very dubious. He paid for them and went straight into the next shop that was a book shop.

This was not like Flourish and Blotts, but a book shop devoted to the Dark Arts and other darker aspects of magic. He walked around and collected a number of books and was about to make his way back when his eyes fell on a book that was a goldmine.

_**Self – Updating Book of Spells **_

Harry lifted that book reverentially and turned the pages inside. They were blank.

"No one has ever succeeded to bring the print on to the pages sir." A soft voice spoke next to Harry startling him.

"Nevertheless I would like to try my luck. Otherwise I may sell it back here, may I not?"

The old lady who had spoken to him nodded and smiled. "That is what everyone who has taken this book from here does. They return it in about a month or two after trying everything to get it to open for it is very expensive."

Harry smiled back at her and then paid for the books and opening his trunk, placed them there and shrinking it once more, went back to the wand shop and sat down on a stool there waiting for his wands to be completed.

Harry waited for half an hour before the wand crafter finished the final polish on his wand and looked up at Harry. "You have brought an unusual combination for your wands. I think they will be very powerful and also binding to you and you alone."

Harry nodded and he slowly took the first wand in his hand. The wand hummed in his hand and then lay still. Harry gave it an experimental wave and red, gold, green and silver sparks came out in a riotous swirl of colour.

Harry repeated the process with the other wand and then smiled truly for the second time in the day. He paid the wand crafter and then went out and walked to The Leaky Cauldron and motioning Hedwig to stay concealed, Harry went inside.

Tom was there cleaning glasses and he looked up with a smile when Harry entered. Harry looked around The Leaky Cauldron as he approached the counter and Harry was mildly shocked when he saw Quirrell sitting at one corner of the room and nursing a drink, a few others sitting around talking about various items in Transfiguration today, The Potions Journal Fortnightly and so on.

"Hello, I am planning to go off on a trekking trip and I don't want to keep apparating here or to my kitchen or cook in the tent for food everyday. How about packing some assorted stuff for about two weeks? Do you do all that? I am Oldie Back."

Tom was thrilled. This was big business. He nodded enthusiastically. "Of course sir. I can do all that. Full meals you mean – breakfast, lunch and dinner?" he asked.

"The works; Oh and I would like something to eat now."

"In a moment sir." Tom said happily and Harry went to one of the front tables very far away from Quirrell.

By the time Harry had finished, his very full combination of tea and dinner, Tom was ready. Harry went up to the counter to pay and Tom smiled widely at him, "Well Mr. Back, see this bag here, all you have to place five knuts for tea, six for coffee, a sickle for breakfast, lunch or dinner. This bag will transfer the money here and I will place what ever you want into the same bag and you will receive it.

"Breakfast, lunch or dinner will be according to time and if you don't want to eat for a day, don't put the money in. Place the empty plates into the pouch and I will receive it back. You will have to pay for one set of plates, cutlery and cups and saucers now. If you break or lose them then you will pay for whatever items you have broken in addition to your meal. That is all."

Harry smiled as widely as Tom. "This is fantastic. Will I be able to use it even after the two weeks; if I get bored of my own cooking?"

"Yes sir. This is meant for bachelors usually and also for anyone who wishes to have a day off from the kitchen. This will work for as long as you would like."

Harry heaved a sigh of relief. Food was taken care of. Hedwig was alive once again and he had ready access to the money. He had two wands that would work only for him. At least the basic things were going smoothly so far Harry thought crossing his fingers and knocking on the wooden table top.

Harry smiled his thanks to Tom and went out and apparated behind some bushes behind the small park in Little Whinging. Removing his disguise there, he slowly walked to his aunt's home. The house was locked and Harry opened the door wandlessly and then locked it behind him.

He walked up to his room and cast a notice-me-not charm at the door and also a muggle repelling charm just to be safe. Then he unpacked everything and arranged his trunk, leaving only his books outside. He enlarged the perch and watched with happiness as Hedwig flew and sat on it, hooting softly with pleasure.

He placed muggle repelling charm on his trunk and his books and placed a sickle into the pouch and was rewarded by steaming hot dinner. Harry ate, not minding the fact he had had a very late tea and relaxed for sometime thinking of everything as he sat there on his chair.

When it was completely dark, Harry stood up and stretched. He had already sent his reply to McGonagall carefully using muggle paper and pen and not parchment.

_Dear Professor McGonagall,_

_I am writing to tell you that I will be attending the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in September this year. Thank you for admitting me into your School._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Harry Potter._

Harry had looked at it and felt it was pretty much okay. If it wasn't, well that was okay too, he supposed. He had sent it off with Hedwig, patting her and cuddling her, almost cooing to her. He had not realized how much he had missed Hedwig until he saw her once again. This almost made his unscheduled trip to the past worth the while. Almost.

After sending off the letter Harry had sat there on his chair putting his face into his hands for a long time. What he would be doing next would change the future totally.

Harry sighed from the depths of his soul and then changed into his Phoenix form and with a soft trill disappeared.

He appeared in a small village called Ottery St. Catchpole. Harry transformed once again and casting an invisibility charm on himself, walked to The Burrow. He stopped outside the wards and slowly scrutinized them.

They were very ordinary, only basic protection wards and muggle repelling ones. Only later, after the resurrection of Voldemort would stronger wards be added he knew. Harry slowly worked his way through them; immensely thankful he had this knowledge with him when he was thrown to the past and was soon inside the wards of The Burrow.

His heart was beating very fast as he approached what had been his second home since his summer vacation before second year at Hogwarts. This was also where his best friend and his wife lived.

Whether she would be his wife this time and if he would share the same relation with Ron, Harry did not know and it was all this that was killing him inside. While he could save many of the lives that had been lost before because of Dumbledore's foolish inactive policies, they came at a very high price; by coming here he had just sacrificed that part of his life unless a miracle would happen.

But leaving Sirius for two more years until he escaped and imprisoning him for another two at Grimmauld Place was never an option, really. Harry knew he would not be able to live with the guilt; that to have Ginny and his kids as before he would knowingly allow so many people to die and he had not even started thinking about Snape, Draco and the other Slytherins.

Harry had met initially with Draco, Pansy and a few others after the death of Voldemort and slowly he had understood the extent to which Snape had protected all of them. Harry knew with very little power and hardly no standing and no money, Snape could not and did not dare do more.

Harry had met Draco for the first time about five years after the death of Voldemort. He was already an auror and married to Ginny. They had met when he had come watch his wife at the Quidditch match. Harry was also there along with Hermione and Ron to cheer Ginny and spotting Draco he had nodded formally and had been about to turn away when Draco had come up to him and had caught his arm.

"Potter, if I may have a word with you?" he had asked softly.

"Yes Malfoy?" Harry had asked neutrally. Dumbledore's death was still raw and seeing Draco Malfoy brought memories of Snape and his parents that Harry was not yet ready to handle.

His mother had wept when she had learnt about Snape's contribution to the war and she had been inconsolable for days when Harry and Dumbledore had told her it had been his love for her that had controlled him and pushed him until the very end.

James Potter had scowled along with Sirius at the implications of Dumbledore's and Harry's information and had been furious that Lily had been so affected by Snape's sacrifice when so many others had sacrificed a lot more without becoming a death eater in the first place as he had pointed out scathingly to his wife.

Both of them had tried to tell Harry and Dumbledore that the fault was Snape's in the first place, but Harry had grown up by then and that was the first major argument he had with his father and Sirius, when he had disagreed with them. That had made James and Sirius so angry they had not spoken to Harry for almost a week and James had fought with his wife and had raged against her jealously for almost a month.

But that had been nothing when after meeting with Draco Malfoy, Harry and Hermione had pushed for Snape's portrait in the Headmaster's office. That had sparked off a row of mammoth proportions.

Draco had only a question for him, a question that would make Harry introspect a lot before taking a very tough stance with everyone whom he had been listening and agreeing with until then. "Has Professor Snape's portrait appeared in the Headmaster's office? If it has, could you get permission from McGonagall for me to speak to him, just for a few minutes only?"

Harry had stared and then had pinked a little. "No portrait had come until now Malfoy. But I will look into it and inform you the moment Snape's portrait appears."

Draco Malfoy had nodded and left. Harry had told Hermione and Ron about what Malfoy had asked and Hermione had understood right away but Ron had not been pleased. Harry could not concentrate on the match after that one minute meeting with Malfoy and he had remained distracted. He had gone with Hermione the next day and had spoken to Dumbledore, in fact demanded why Snape's portrait had still not appeared.

Harry had been shocked by the answers he had received by the other Headmasters and Headmistresses.

"He was not a true Headmaster. After all he was only one of Voldemort's lackeys."

"Why should Hogwarts present the portrait of a death eater and Harry that is what he was until he turned to Dumbledore."

"The regime of Voldemort was a sham and Snape as Headmaster was equally so. He will not share a platform with us."

Phineas Nigellus had remained silent but had looked very scornfully at Dumbledore who had also remained silent.

"You agree professor?" Harry had asked Dumbledore sharply and Dumbledore had remained silent, though he had shook his head before bowing his head down. Then for almost ten years Harry had argued and fought with only Hermione by his side for Snape's portrait to be allowed for his bravery and dedication and contribution without which the war with Voldemort would have surely not been won.

It was during those ten years that Harry had met with Draco secretly. Only Hermione had known and she had accompanied Harry to most meetings. They had talked about Snape and Harry had learned the extent of Snape's sacrifice and slowly he had learned why Voldemort had been able to sway most of the purebloods to his side and how the Light had driven away almost all the Slytherins over a period of more than hundred years by their prejudices towards Salazar Slytherin.

Now as he walked towards The Burrow he knew he had much work to do if he could even think of not only saving all those who died but also all the Slytherins who would join Voldemort and perish. He sighed and realized that he seemed to be doing a lot of that now a days.

Harry slowly levitated from the ground after firmly reapplying his invisibility charms once more and rose up to what would have been Percy's bedroom. He peered into the room and saw Percy sleeping soundly and Wormtail in a cage. He too, was sleeping.

Thankfully all the windows were open and Harry was not forced to cast more spells to open the window and create an illusion so that Percy and Wormtail would not realize their window had suddenly opened on its own.

Harry stepped into the room and quietly cast a sleeping charm on Percy and then a stunner at the rat. Harry unlocked the door and removed Pettigrew and stunned him twice before placing him into his pockets.

Harry looked for a long moment at Percy before opening the door and stepping out into the narrow landing. From there his feet automatically took him to the top floor of The Burrow. Harry opened the door and saw a young Ron sleeping soundly. Harry stood there for a long time and then his whole frame trembling, went down to Ginny's room.

He stood outside the door and then slowly opened it and stepped inside. His whole body was trembling and Harry was sweating with sheer nerves as he looked at a small figure that was snuggled under the covers. Harry cast a mild sleeping charm at her and slowly turned the face towards him. Tears fell from his eyes as he looked at the woman who was his wife and the mother of his children something that seemed so unsure now and he slowly bent down and pressed his lips to hers.

A few minutes later he abruptly got up, transformed into a Phoenix and flashed to the edge of the wards. He transformed back and crossed the wards before apparating for the Gaunt House. He landed quietly in front of the run down home and looked at the magic that was swirling in the corner.

Harry thought for a few minutes. He really did not want to disturb the enchantments but at the same time he wanted to remove the horcrux. After debating with himself a bit more, Harry conjured a snake not unlike Nagini and pointing his wand at her and hissed, "_Imperio_."

The eyes of the snake glazed over. "Go inside and bring the ring that lies in that corner." Harry hissed to her and she swayed for a minute before slithering inside.

Harry watched with bated breath. This was merely an experiment. He had had long discussions with Dumbledore before the fights started and he avoided the Headmaster's office and based on those discussions he was testing something now.

The snake went into the house and was able to penetrate through all the charms harmlessly. It was proved to Harry that Dumbledore's theory that Voldemort allowed snakes on command by Parseltongue to breech the enchantments around the horcruxes without harm. That was a back up so that just in case he could not be seen at those places, he could possess snakes and remove the horcruxes without anyone being the wiser.

Harry removed the horcrux from her mouth and banished her. He placed the ring into his other pocket and silently apparated to the wards on Privet Drive.

From there Harry changed into a Phoenix and was in his room in no time. It was about three in the morning and he had retrieved a horcrux and Pettigrew.

Harry sat at his desk. Now he had to remove the tiara of Ravenclaw and the locket from Grimmauld Place. That would leave the diary that hopefully Malfoy would see it fit to drop into Ginny's Transfiguration book.

Even if he did not get his hands on the book at Flourish and Blotts itself, Harry thought he could get the book once Ginny got it with her to Hogwarts. That would make the total number of horcruxes Harry would have with him to four. The one thing that would present a difficulty would be Hufflepuff's cup that was deep inside Gringotts in Bellatrix's vault and Nagini.

Harry had no clue about Nagini and he thought that he would need Snape's help for the last two.

But the thing that would make Voldemort's death very difficult was Harry himself. Now that he knew he was a horcrux, Harry knew he would not have the same mind set and attitude that he did all those years back to go into the forest and sacrifice himself for the greater good.

Feeling a headache coming on, Harry decided to leave the horcrux inside him until the end. Maybe this time he would need to cast the killing curse on himself to kill the horcrux and his own self. That thought depressed him so much that Harry sat there until early morning thinking of all he had already lost and would lose if it came to that.

It was almost seven. Dawn had come and gone and sunlight was beginning to light up his room when Harry lifted his head and wiped his wet cheeks. He sighed and making sure that his room was secure so that the Dursleys would not see it fit to open and search through his things, Harry transformed once again into a Phoenix and flashed to the cave where he had met Sirius near Hogsmeade.

He looked around the cave in a fit of nostalgia and then he set the stunned rat down. Snarling at the unconscious rat Harry conjured a large brown owl and cast a few spells for the owl to fly straight to Hogwarts and in Hogwarts to the Headmaster and hand over the special delivery only to him.

While Harry was sure that no one would be able to ascertain the place from where the parcel came, he did not want to take any chances that Dumbledore would somehow find out that Pettigrew was sent from somewhere near Privet Drive. That would cast a type of light on him that Harry wanted to avoid at all costs especially since he knew attention would come his way for so many other things.

Conjuring a cage Harry placed Pettigrew inside it and removed all traces of identification magic from the cage and the owl. Then he sat down to write a short note addressed to the Headmaster of the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

He wrote the note and once again checked the parchment, cage, owl and rat properly and praying that this first step would go well and correctly Harry sent the owl away.

The next minute a Phoenix was flashing back to Privet Drive. The Dursleys had still not come; perhaps they had decided to stay over Harry thought while he washed. He went to his room once he finished and making sure the muggle repelling wards were firmly in place put a five Knuts and a sickle in to The Leaky Cauldron pouch.

Half an hour later a pleasantly full Harry was fast asleep.

_**End of Chapter – 3**_

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	4. Chapter 4

_**Thank you, all of you for reading this story so far and to all of you who took that extra minute to review. **_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 4**_

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It was a truly a spectacular summer in Scotland where the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was located, hidden away from muggles and heavily warded and fortified against any magical attacks, made possible by protection spells from the Founders' themselves and then after them by almost every Headmaster.

Professor Dumbledore himself was responsible for a good many of them, having placed them all around Hogwarts during the time of Grindelwald when he was not even a Headmaster and then later as Headmaster during the time of Voldemort's first rise to power.

It had been ten years since the fall of Voldemort and Dumbledore and indeed the entire Wizarding World were enjoying the peace and quiet that came after one Harry James Potter defeated the darkest Lord of recent times.

This year he would be attending Hogwarts. Dumbledore had already seen his reply letter and had been very happy that he had been allowed to send a reply. He had thought that Harry might have needed rescuing but it was not so.

The letter to Harry Potter had been addressed to a cupboard under the stairs and Dumbledore had felt very sad when he had seen that. Usually the letters were sent automatically but in Harry's case Dumbledore had wanted to see the letter and he had been shocked.

McGonagall had been very scathing and she had reminded Dumbledore about her concerns ten years ago and had left angrily when Dumbledore had not agreed to reconsider his place of residence because of the protections there.

When Harry's letter had come at breakfast the day before carried by a huge snowy owl Dumbledore's eyes had twinkled madly as he listened to McGonagall who read the letter aloud.

Snape had scowled and passed rather inappropriate comments that had forced Dumbledore to rebuke him mildly. Snape had stormed out in anger and had vanished for the rest of the day.

Today morning Snape had appeared but was scowling so badly that everyone gave him a wide berth and Dumbledore had looked inscrutably at him before silently attending to his breakfast. It was rather early but almost all the professors were there rising early to take advantage of the great summer they had been enjoying.

Dumbledore was sipping his spiced tea when he noticed a huge ordinary barn owl flying towards the Head table with a cage tied to it. Inside the cage was a rat and it was apparently sleeping. There was a letter tied to the cage and Albus Dumbledore frowned as the owl came to him and held out its leg.

He whipped out his wand and cast a good many spells and finding the rat and the letter harmless, he removed the package and the owl soared away to vanish once it crossed the School wards.

Meanwhile Albus Dumbledore was opening the letter and he skimmed it and his eyes grew big and round with shock. The letter had done the impossible. It had thrown Albus Dumbledore for a six.

He cleared his throat and started to read aloud to his amazed and slightly worried colleagues who were looking at him in shock. They had never seen Dumbledore exhibit emotions so unguardedly.

_Dear Headmaster, _

_The rat inside the cage is an animagus that goes by the name of Peter Pettigrew. Yes, the rat is alive and he was the secret keeper of the Potters and not Sirius Black. He is also a death eater and once you transform him and feed him with veritaserum, you will get all the answers you need._

_Sirius Black is in Azkaban for a crime he has not committed. I presume that you are capable of ensuring that justice will be done to both Black and the bloody rat._

_Be careful; he can and will transform in a second's time and will escape if he can._

Dumbledore finished the short, abrupt and very blunt note amidst a deathly silence and looked around at everyone.

"If Sirius is indeed innocent… Merlin! Albus we have condemned him to ten years in that hell hole with the dementors." McGonagall was horrified.

"This letter is a farce. Maybe the wolf wrote it to save his friend." Snape snarled in rage. But why now after all these years, came unbidden to his mind and he snarled once more.

The rest were muttering uneasily among them when Albus Dumbledore clapped his hands asking for silence.

Dumbledore stood up, "Severus can you please get the veritaserum at once. I will wait here for you."

Snape stood for a moment as if to argue but seeing the look on Dumbledore's face left silently.

Dumbledore levitated the cage and set it in the middle of the room. The House tables were not put up and the Great Hall was very empty. Snape came very soon breathing very hard. He had been running to his office and back and the moment he came and stood near Dumbledore, Dumbledore flicked his wand and opened the cage and levitated the rat.

He banished the cage and set the rat on the ground, stunned it once and then cast the animagus to human transformation spell.

All of them looked in amazement when before their eyes the rat became a man; Peter Pettigrew. Dumbledore's face became pinched with anger and Snape if one would have seen him then was pale with shock.

"_Incarcerous_" thick ropes flew out of Dumbledore's wand and bound Peter tightly. Then Dumbledore flicked his wand once again, "_animagus stoppero_," to ensure he would not transform and run away again and finally, "_enervate_,"

Pettigrew blinked and then squeaked when he saw he was bound and in his human form and in the presence of Dumbledore and other Hogwarts staff members.

Snape went to him and roughly lifted the sleeves of his left arm and gasped. The dark mark could be very faintly seen. Dumbledore's face flushed in anger and his lips thinned impossibly.

"Please give him the veritaserum Severus." He told Snape tightly.

Snape wrenched the mouth of the squeaking rat and placed three drops of the truth serum. Dumbledore waited only for his eyes to glaze over.

"What is your name?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

"Are you a death eater?"

"Yes" came the monotone answer.

"Who was the secret keeper of the Potters when they were attacked by Voldemort?" Snape asked this question in a strangled voice.

"I was."

"Did you give the information of the secret of Godric's Hollow to Voldemort?" this was Dumbledore.

"Yes I did."

"When did you become the secret keeper?"

"I became their secret keeper one week before the attack by the Dark Lord on them."

"Why did Sirius make you their secret keeper?"

"Because Sirius was sure that everyone would think that he was the secret keeper and by doing this he thought that even if he were captured and killed James, Lily and Harry would have been safe."

Snape's eyes were emitting fire as he looked at the rat and Dumbledore actually snarled in anger but did not ask any more questions. He stunned Peter and asking McGonagall and Snape to accompany him, called for Fawkes.

A second later the four of them had vanished in a flash of fire.

They landed in the Atrium and Dumbledore swiftly walked right to the Minister's office, not even waiting for the checking of the wands there. He flashed an aura of power that made everyone run away from his side.

"Minerva will you please go to the offices of Amelia, Alastor and Rufus and ask them to come directly to the questioning centre." He said not breaking in his stride and stepped into the lift.

He got out at the Minister of Magic's office and McGonagall continued to bring the said persons.

"Is the Minister in?" he asked stopping for the first time after he had entered the Ministry and waited as the young secretary rushed in to inform Minister Cornelius Fudge that Professor Dumbledore was here.

Minute later Fudge himself came running out and looked shocked to see a man who had been thought dead and in fact had been awarded the Order of Merlin First Class now presumably stunned being levitated by an angry Albus Dumbledore who was leaking so much magic, it was frightening.

"What?" Fudge spluttered in shock, "What is this Albus? How?" he looked baffled, at the stunned Peter, "How… is he alive?" he asked hesitantly.

Dumbledore nodded and then all of them went into the auror questioning chamber and were almost at once joined by Mad-Eye Moody, Amelia Bones and Rufus Scrimgeour. They were taken aback to see a man whom they had known was dead until now. Amelia Bones wasted no time and pulled out a bottle of veritaserum that McGonagall had thoughtfully told her to bring.

They asked all the questions all over again and when they learned that he had been a pet rat of Percy Weasley, all of them were taken aback and Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall's faces tightened in remembrance of seeing Percy's pet rat so many times.

Amelia Bones called for Arthur Weasley. The moment he entered the room, rather confused, she asked him not giving him any time to think. "Arthur do you remember this rat?" Dumbledore had changed him into a rat once again.

Arthur smiled. "How did the little rascal come here? Yes Amelia this is Scabbers, Percy' pet rat."

"Where did Percy find him?"

"By our garden one day when he was very small." Arthur Weasley ran down when he saw the serious faces of the others. "Is there any trouble?" he asked looking at all of them.

For an answer Dumbledore flicked his wand and Peter stood there snivelling in all his glory. Arthur shouted in shock jumping a step behind. "Someone knew who he was and where he had been hiding. I received him today morning." Dumbledore added when he saw the genuine shock on Arthur's face.

"But why should he hide Albus? After all Black is in Azkaban." Arthur was confused. Dumbledore told him in a few sentences about his treachery and Arthur was horrified.

"What! A death eater has been in my home and has been cuddled by my children all these years?" he stared at Peter in shock and revulsion and stepped back once more. "But when did someone come to our home and take the rat? I saw him yesterday night." Arthur was confused.

"Did you leave the house?" Dumbledore asked Pettigrew. Pettigrew shook his head. Dumbledore frowned. How did the person know that Pettigrew was at the Weasleys and how did he bypass the wards?

"Arthur, the wards," Dumbledore trailed off when Arthur shook his head. "They are fine Albus. They are tied to me and I know. They are fine even now."

Before he could ponder about it McGonagall spoke briskly.

"We must get Sirius out of that hellhole right now." McGonagall told Dumbledore who turned to Fudge. He nodded at once. It was early days as Minister and he was very dependant on Dumbledore.

"Yes Albus. We should release an innocent man right away."

"I want Peter kissed at once Cornelius. Can you call for the Wizengamot right away?"

In ten minutes the Wizengamot gathered and all of them were suitably horrified by the mere presence of a dead person. Dementors were called and two hours later Peter Pettigrew was kissed by orders of the Wizengamot and his Order of Merlin Ist Class was cancelled.

An hour later Sirius Black was a free man.

He was released from Azkaban and was understandably bewildered. Albus Dumbledore was standing at the gates of Azkaban along with Snape, McGonagall, Moody, Amelia Bones and Rufus Scrimgeour.

He walked unsteadily and looked with confusion at everyone. "What happened? Are James and Lily alive?" he asked in a desperate hope.

Dumbledore smiled sadly. "I will explain everything Sirius. First come with me to Hogwarts and then we will talk."

"Harry?" Sirius asked only one word.

"He is fine and will be starting Hogwarts this year. Come." Dumbledore said smiling and he held on to the gaunt and dirty man who had not even noticed Snape and McGonagall and calling for Fawkes vanished from Azkaban.

They landed in the infirmary and Dumbledore left Sirius to the mercies of a startled Pomfery who started treating him after Dumbledore assured her Sirius was innocent. He promised Sirius they would talk when he had enough rest. "Suffice to say Peter was captured and found to be a death eater Sirius. He was kissed an hour before you were released. I will tell you the rest later."

Sirius had to be content with that and ten minutes later he was sound asleep in a bed for the first time in ten years.

It was only after ten days that he woke up fresh enough and sane enough to understand everything and it was lunch time on the twelfth day that Sirius was cleared by the School nurse to be up and about. He dressed in robes someone had left thoughtfully for him, maybe Dumbledore he thought and went down to Dumbledore's office.

---------------

Harry had slept until lunch and then he flashed away to a shady corner of the park and then walked to his home. His aunt waited until he came inside before screeching at him for coming so late and told him he could do without lunch.

She did not listen to his explanations of hitching a ride home and nor did she care enough to ask him if he had managed to get all that he needed to go to Hogwarts. Harry went up and placed a sickle into the pouch had a scrumptious lunch and relaxed on his hard but turned soft bed.

His thoughts scattered in many directions, primarily going to his kids, and then to Ginny whom he had met yesterday and then centred on Sirius. He wondered what was happening and when he would finally get to know about what Dumbledore had done with Wormtail and based on that information, with Sirius.

The days went by slowly and Harry cancelled all the charms he had cast over everything that evening and was now conspicuously reading all kinds of things.

The next day his aunt had come to know through Dudley that the 'freak' was reading many strange books.

"Boy who gave you the money to buy all this?"

"Aunt it was from the wizarding bank." Harry told her innocently and casting a charm at her that made her wordlessly able to accept his explanation without any fuss.

She grumbled and walked back, yelling at him to come down and prepare food and from there everything had gone just fine.

It was the 31st of July. Harry was eleven and thirty seven years old respectively. He woke up as usual in the morning (he had stopped staying up until midnight long back) and started his work at preparing breakfast. His 'family' here was never going to wish him a happy birthday. Harry was feeling very morose. His last few birthdays had begun with his children waking him up with birthday wishes, hugs and kisses.

The family had just settled down for breakfast when the door bell rang. "Boy, see who's at the door." Vernon Dursley said automatically without looking up from the newspaper.

Harry scowled at the 'Boy' and got up and stormed to the door. He was already feeling very bad and now he was the Dursley house elf, he thought angrily to himself. He opened the door and stopped right there, his eyes wide with shock.

Harry gasped and stared at Sirius Black who was looking anxiously, happily, worriedly and expectantly at the door. His eyes widened and his grin when he recognized the person standing in front of him split his face into two, "Harry?" he asked softly.

"Yes?" Harry stammered so many emotions running through him. Sirius was very thin almost gaunt, but his eyes were bright and his smile was lighting up the whole universe.

"Boy! Who is it?" shouted his aunt.

Harry blushed and looked at a frowning Sirius whose wide grin had stopped abruptly at the unfriendly shout of 'Boy who is it'.

"I don't know uncle Vernon." Harry called out and turned to Sirius, "Who are you and what do you want?"

"My name is Sirius Black Harry. I am a friend of your dad." Sirius told him and watched with a painful clench of his heart when Harry's face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"You knew my dad?" Harry asked him, inwardly thrilled to see Sirius in the flesh and also slightly worried about his acting abilities. While he was genuinely happy to see Sirius he had to pretend that he did not know Sirius and he obviously could not remember meeting him in the first fifteen months of his life. Harry only hoped he would be able to carry it off.

"Boy who is it?" Petunia came striding and stopped when she saw Sirius. "You…, you are," she stopped not knowing what to say and looked inside for a second and then, "What do you want?"

"To meet and talk to Harry and take him away for the rest of his holidays until he has to leave for School. That is," Sirius looked at Harry and gulped, his face flushing with worry, "if Harry would consent to come with me."

He was shocked a minute later when Harry said delighted, "Of course, I may go may I not Aunt Petunia?" he looked at her anxiously but the charms held and she was pleased to get Harry off her hands sooner than she had thought and she nodded briskly. "You may leave right now if you want." She told Harry who wasted no time and looking at Sirius for a moment ran off inside.

Petunia did not invite Sirius inside and glared slightly at his robes which looked very nice and upmarket but were not normal clothes after all, "We have told the boy to stay in that School for the whole year and also ask if he can spend summers there as well. If they don't allow then perhaps you can take him off our hands." She looked enquiringly at him.

Sirius was shocked. What kind of people were Lily's sister and her family? He could have been a death eater and all she could ask him was if he could keep Harry for the summers as well. No wonder Harry had run off to get his things and be away from here as soon as possible.

He was going to have words with Dumbledore; he decided and glared at Petunia who flushed under his scornful look. "I will try to make sure he never has to come here and if he does it will be for very brief periods." He told her stiltedly and scowled when she nodded her head in satisfaction and was not insulted at all.

Harry came back in five minutes with a shabby bag, "I am ready Mr. Black and thank you very much for having me. I promise I won't be a bother."

Sirius smiled though it was very strained and nodded his head. He could not speak for the life of him.

"Goodbye aunt."

"Hmm. Remember stay in the School for the holidays." Was what his aunt said not noticing the snarl on Sirius's face.

"Come on Harry. Off we go." Sirius said making an effort to sound happy and shrugging off the nasty taste the Dursleys left in his mouth. He looked at Harry and took in his small frame and shabby dress and his mouth set itself in a straight line.

He looked down at Harry and seeing the worried look smiled and catching Harry's hand went to the edge of the wards just as Dumbledore had told him. Crossing them Sirius bent down and held Harry's hand tightly.

"Harry I am going to do some magic now. Do not be scared alright?" he asked Harry who was amazed that Sirius could be this patient. Of course he was a lot smaller and Sirius thought he really did not know or understand anything much of the Wizarding World but still Sirius was a lot more patient than he remembered.

Harry nodded his head and a minute later Sirius had enveloped Harry in his arms and had almost silently apparated to the small park near No. 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry cast the warding charm wandlessly and silently on the place between nos. 11 and 13, but could not see the house. That meant only one thing. The house was already under the Fidelus Charm.

Harry cancelled his spell and looked at Sirius who was busy scribbling something. "Here Harry. You were not scared were you?"

Harry shook his head blushing slightly. "It was awesome Mr. Black. What was this?"

"Sirius, the name is Sirius Harry, never Mr. Black okay?" Harry nodded his eyes wide. Sirius laughed and held out a piece of paper and asked Harry to read it, "Read that Harry. I will explain everything once we are inside the house. I have been here only since yesterday myself."

Harry looked at the piece of paper. _The Black home may be found at No. 12 Grimmauld Place_.

"Read it?" Sirius asked Harry when he looked up. "Now look straight and repeat the words in your mind."

Harry already had and now he could see the familiar home appearing between nos.11 and 13.

He had Grimmauld Place as a second home and also as a place for meeting contacts once he had moved to Godric's Hollow. Harry and his family along with Ron, Hermione and their kids had also spent weekends there now and then.

But now all Harry could think of was to somehow get hold of the horcrux before something happened to it.

"Wow Sirius. This is cool. Is it magic?"

Sirius nodded happily and taking Harry's hand went to the door and opened it. Harry was transported to his summer after fourth year when he had stepped in Grimmauld Place for the first time.

"BOOD TRAITORS! BESPOILING THE HOME OF MY FATHERS! FILTHY HALF BLOODS!" Was the welcome Harry received when he got inside and he just remembered in time to stand in shock seeing the portrait that could apparently not only talk but curse as well instead of saying something very sarcastic as he usually did before he flicked his wand and closed the curtains.

Sirius was already running to the portrait to stop her from speaking more. "Stop it." He roared and at that time another figure came running to help Sirius. Harry almost danced with sheer happiness when he saw Remus Lupin running to pull the curtains to close the portrait.

"What was that?" Harry asked a scared look on his face.

Sirius smiled at Harry's fear. "That was my dead mother Harry. Wizards and witches can prepare portraits that can speak and talk like them after their death if they cast a particular spell on it. But all that later, now come on. This is my parents' home and I am going to get it all cleaned up this week. So think of good ideas to decorate and after breakfast you can go around the place and choose your room. Mine is the first door on the left on the second floor and Remus here has the next."

"Sirius slow down a little. You haven't even told him who I am and you are acting if he knows everything." Remus grinned and looked at Harry's bewildered face and laughed, "Harry I am Remus Lupin. I was also a friend of your dad." Remus held out his hand at Harry.

Harry took it smiling slightly and thinking that he had changed one more thing. This Remus was not the tired man he had known in his third year but a very happy man who had one of his friends with him and was not suspected of betraying the other and seeing justice done to the traitor.

Harry thought he had never seen Remus so happy. Not when he had been teaching in Harry's third year and not when he was having an on off relationship with Tonks in Harry's sixth year and not even when he had finally eloped. Though, Harry thought with a pang as he remembered his first future, Remus had been thrilled when Teddy had been born. He had simply beamed the whole time he had come to Shell Cottage to give Harry and the others the news.

"Hello did you know my dad too?" Harry asked Remus now remembering to speak softly, though the happiness that shone through his eyes was very real.

Remus's face grew sad. He smiled softly at Harry and nodded. "Both Sirius and I were friends with your dad and mum. Once we get you settled we will tell you all about them. Okay?"

Harry nodded smiling shyly in return. They went into the kitchen and had a huge breakfast much like Harry was used to. Then they went into the drawing room with Sirius throwing an arm over Harry's shoulders.

"Can I go and explore the house, please?" Harry asked Sirius when they had sat down curiosity in his eyes.

"Of course and don't forget to choose your room and Remus and I will help you decorate it as you would like." Sirius told him grinning a bit tiredly. Remus who was looking at his friend anxiously nodded to Harry before turning back to Sirius. "Sirius I think you must rest." Remus turned to Harry, "He has not been very well, Harry. We will explain everything to you once all of us settle down."

Harry nodded looking at Sirius with equal anxiety before he was shooed away by Sirius who told him he was feeling sleepy and nothing else. Harry went into the long parlour silently and watched how Sirius slumped and Remus making sure Harry was not there, levitated Sirius to his room.

Harry waited until they had gone and then raced up the stairs. He went directly to the third floor and opened one of the rooms and went straight to a cabinet. He cast his magic to keep Kreacher away and then swiftly removed the locket from inside the cabinet. He had remembered from so long ago when he had cleaned along with Ron and Hermione and Sirius and they had found the strange locket that they were unable to open then.

The locket was where he had remembered it to be and Harry removed it and banished it to his shrunken trunk to lie with the other horcrux and then raced up to the attic. He knew Remus would come after him once he had Sirius settled down and they would not leave him alone for a long time.

Harry was right and he had only opened the attic door and had gone inside and came out directly and went down into the third floor and into the room he had gone before to retrieve the horcrux when Remus came searching for him.

Harry was standing innocently by the cabinet and looking through it.

"Ah, there you are Harry. Come along, most of these things are not fit to be touched. They have a combination of hexes and jinxes on them that could hit out at those who touch them. You did not touch anything did you?"

Harry shook his head and then followed Remus and soon they were exploring the house and Remus was giving him a crash course in Wizarding History and about any item he felt safe Harry could know about.

They chose Harry's room; rather Harry bagged the next room to the one he had shared with Ron, mainly on account of the now empty portrait of Phineas Nigellus that still hung in his old room. The room Harry had bagged was Hermione's and Ginny's before, and Harry went and sat on the bed. Remus summoned his shabby bag from downstairs and earned a 'cool' from Harry who grinned at Remus.

"That was great and now may I show you some magic Mr. Lupin?"

"Remus, Harry. The name is Remus." Remus grinned at Harry and Harry was struck by how much Remus was smiling. He had never been like this before. "What magic do you have to show me?"

"Aunt sent me to Diagon Alley and told me to buy everything I need there. I went inside and watched a few people going out on the other side of The Leaky Cauldron and I too went in." Harry said enthusiastically. Remus gaped at the boy who continued talking, "Remus the place was fantastic. I just walked along and found that there was a Wizarding bank and you know what Remus, the bank was run by goblins." Harry had only started his explanation when he was cut off sharply by Remus. "Harry you went to Diagon Alley alone?"

Harry nodded his eyes wide and apparently not noticing Remus's astonishment. "Remus you won't believe it. I slipped a note saying I was Harry Potter and I wanted to know if my parents had left me anything. You see," Harry looked up in shame at Remus who frowned at the look, "aunt Petunia told me to buy everything on my own and I was not sure how to manage that." here Harry's voice wobbled a little and Remus looked down at the small boy in sympathy almost snarling in anger at the Dursleys but remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

Harry on his part looked at Remus and reassured by his look of sympathy continued trying to stick to the truth as much as he could, extremely grateful he had told the goblins that under no circumstances should they reveal that Harry had even known about the family vault, let alone gone inside. He wanted the portraits of his parents to remain where they were for the present unless Sirius brought the topic up; then Harry would have no choice but to agree. But until then Harry decided to remain quiet.

"The goblin took me aside and asked a drop of my blood on a piece of paper, but it looked different same as my Hogwarts letter," Harry looked up at Remus who responded to the unasked question, "That was a parchment Harry, go on."

"Yes a parchment and then it nodded and told me that there were two vaults one was my family vault that I could get when I turned seventeen, doesn't it have to be eighteen?" Harry asked wide eyed.

"No Harry in the Wizarding World you come of age at seventeen, but go on. This is extremely fascinating." Remus told him, hurrying him. Harry was very pleased with himself. He had a sudden on the spur of the moment brain storm and had told Remus about his family vault and that the goblin had told him he could access it only after he was of age. That would keep Remus and Sirius away; at least Harry hoped so.

"Then I went to the vault and taking the pouch the goblin gave me along with a key it told me to keep safely and put some money into the pouch. Then I was wondering how to take money if this was over because," Harry blushed once again, "Uncle Vernon would not allow me to keep coming to Diagon Alley and if," here Harry's voice went very quiet and he became red, "If they knew I had money, they would take it away from me and then I would not be able to pay my way to Hogwarts or for my books or clothes."

Harry fell silent now beet red and Remus patted him on his head scowling at Lily's sister and her family. "You did the right thing Harry," and was rewarded with a relieved smile, "I asked the goblin how I could get money once the money I had taken was over and if I must come and poke my hand and drop blood on that paper every time and if they had branches near Surrey, but Remus, you won't believe what the goblin did. It did something to the money pouch and told me that I could withdraw money by stating the amount in pounds sterling as well as magic money." Harry proudly finished with his explanations. Now it remained for Remus to ask questions. Remus did not disappoint.

"What did you buy?" he asked amazed at all Harry had done.

In answer Harry removed the shabby bag from the desk near his bed and putting his hand inside and rummaging it brought out a small matchbox. He placed his hand on the centre where there was a small circle and it turned into a multi compartment trunk. Remus clutched his chest and gaped at Harry.

Harry nodded amicably, "Magic!" he said excitedly and then placed his hands on the sensor and opened it and showed Remus his clothes that he now took away and arranged it in his cupboard and then all the books except those on the Dark Arts and then his wand.

Remus almost drooled over the number of books until he remembered that Harry had done all this alone. He turned to Harry who was now arranging his stationery and his perch and the owl cage that also had a mechanism to enlarge. "I bought an owl. I named her Hedwig and I sent her to Hogwarts with my reply. She is so intelligent Remus. I only told her where to go like the shopkeeper told me to do and she flew away."

Harry looked at Remus proudly and Remus smiled weakly at him, patting him on his head. "You did very well Harry. So you enjoyed Diagon Alley?"

"And Knockturn Alley. Oh yes, I did. Both were great." Harry told Remus who gasped and stared at Harry, his mouth opening and closing in a very funny manner. Knockturn Alley, Remus was thinking in shock. Harry was truly James's boy and Sirius's Godson.

"I bought a lot of books from there, almost in every subject Remus. For this School, I will be prepared and I will do well." Harry told Remus fiercely. Remus frowned for a second sensing something behind those words but did not query seeing Harry's face blush and become slightly guarded.

"Show me your books once again." Remus told him and from then on both Harry and Remus descended into a lengthy discussion of the various books Harry had bought. Harry had been through in his purchases and had included books on every subject and variety.

"Can you think of a way to unlock this? I got this book at a shop in Knockturn alley and that shopkeeper told me that no one had succeeded in reading this book." Harry asked Remus handing over the Self – Updating Book of spells.

Remus was flabbergasted. Harry was a surprise; a surprise for which Remus was not prepared and he was shocked and did not know how to deal with the innocent knowledge that Harry exhibited. He took the book in his hands and immediately ran his wand checking the book for any dark activity.

Not finding any Remus fawned and drooled all over it, asking Harry to try many things and then losing patience trying many things himself. "Well there is one thing we have not tried Harry. We will try that and if that does not work, well we will have to go and return it."

Harry nodded getting ready to poke his finger and drop the blood from his finger on to the book. That was the only thing they had not tried.

"Show me your hand Harry. I am now going to poke your finger and place a drop of blood on the book to see if that would do the trick. If it doesn't well, we will have to keep it aside." Remus told him.

Harry nodded his head in understanding. "Just like the goblin asked me to place a drop of blood at the bank."

"Yes Harry." Remus smiled and flicked his wand at Harry's thumb. Harry waited with bated breath when the book glowed. Remus shouted in joy and urged Harry to go ahead and open the book. "I am sure we have broken the charm. This book has found your blood compatible." Remus told him.

Harry was staring at the book in shock. The lady had told him that so many had tried. Why had they not been able to open it? All of them would have tried the blood first unlike Remus and Harry who had tried it last, Harry knew. He was suddenly afraid of what he would find inside the book.

Remus saw Harry staring at the book and impatiently grabbed it from him and opened the book. He was very disappointed because the book remained blank for him. Harry was a bit reassured by that. He could bluff his way if the book said something that Remus would think it not fit for an eleven year old.

He opened the book and just managed to stop the loud gasp from his mouth when he read the words aloud to Remus Lupin knowing that he would not understand the significance.

"_**This book belongs to Ignotus Peverell and this is the self updating Book of Spells**_." Harry read this to Remus who looked thoughtful but did not recognize the name or the significance of the name.

Harry continued reading. "_This book has chosen you as a worthy owner. The moment your blood was accepted, this book has now been bound to you. No one else will be able to read this book except you so treat it with care. _

"_There are two ways to operate this book; one, to go by alphabet and look through all curses, spells, hexes, jinxes, charms and the like found under that particular alphabet and second, to write in the blank page what you would need a spell for, the first page is left blank only for this purpose. For example, if you would write a spell for levitation, then in the next page you will start reading about levitation, the spell required to cast the spell, the positive effects and negative effects of casting the spell many times if any and the various purposes for which you could use this simple spell. Use your finger to write and your palm to wipe after reading._

"_Good luck young man or woman whoever you are. Use it wisely and cautiously._

"_Ignotus Peverell."_

"This is great Harry. You could learn a lot of things with this book." Remus was as thrilled as Harry.

They spent some more time with the book by Harry writing some basic spells that Remus told him to, and reading out about the spell. Then closing the book and putting everything away neatly, Harry got up and went down to the kitchen to help Remus prepare lunch. They peeped in on Sirius on the way but he was still sleeping soundly so Harry and Remus spent the afternoon with Harry asking Remus all kinds of questions and Remus answering everything to the apparently extremely enthusiastic boy who had a thirst to knowledge and a keen desire to learn.

_**End of Chapter – 4**_

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	5. Chapter 5

_**Thank you everyone who has read this story so far and thank you everyone who has taken that extra minute to post a comment. Thank you dschlac and Donald McLeod **_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 5**_

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In the evening Remus excused himself for about half an hour and went out. They had spent the whole afternoon and a good part of the evening with Remus pouring all kinds of information about the Wizarding World to Harry who was listening intently and asking all kinds of questions.

The only ones Remus wouldn't answer were why Sirius was ill and why Sirius and Remus had not come to visit with him all these years. He had only smiled sadly when Harry had questioned hesitantly and had promised Harry that he would have his explanations once Sirius was well enough to talk important issues.

Harry did not ask again and he took out his One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by _Phillyda Spore _and started reading. This time around Harry wanted to be ready for Snape and if he could he wanted to make sure the man would not only not die, but also not kill Dumbledore and make himself the most hated individual on earth other than Voldemort, until the war was over and everything came to light.

Harry sat there with his potions book and was also wondering if Gringotts had been broken into. He decided he must ask Remus about wizarding newspapers so that from tomorrow he could start reading them. Harry wondered if Hagrid had been there in time to retrieve the Philosopher's Stone.

Harry sighed. He had changed everything so much already that he knew there was very little hope that everything would remain the way it did. Harry was brought out of his melancholy thoughts by the arrival of Remus who entered holding a small box and Sirius who was coming down looking a lot fresher than when he had gone up.

Remus went straight into the kitchen smiling at Harry and a minute later Sirius came into the room looking all refreshed. Harry felt like pouncing on him and hugging him tightly, but restrained himself and instead smiled widely at his Godfather.

"Hello Harry, fine? Settled down here?"

"Yeah Sirius, I have." Harry replied quietly, his green eyes sharply assessing Sirius's gaunt and pale face. Sirius smiled at Harry and ruffled his hair with too thin hands and pulled him up to his feet, "Come on. Remus," he called out, "Can we come in now?"

"Come on in." was the answering shout and Sirius took Harry to the doorway and then went behind him and shut Harry's eyes, propelling him slowly forward into the kitchen.

A few steps later Sirius removed his hands from Harry's eyes and both Sirius and Remus shouted at the top of their voices, "_Happy Birthday Harry_!"

Harry was shocked. He had truly forgotten his birthday after his grouse in the morning at the Dursleys and when Sirius had closed his eyes, Harry had thought he was going to show him another bit of magic. Harry did not know what to say. He stood there feeling a bit overwhelmed that Sirius had taken so much effort after probably waking up the day or two before.

"Thanks," he stammered and both men saw the emotions run through his eyes and they scowled simultaneously. "Surely your aunt made cakes for your birthday Harry?" Sirius asked gently.

Harry went a beet red and he slowly shook his head. "No, but I helped her make cakes for Dudley's and uncle Vernon's birthdays." He told them shocking them.

"What!" Sirius roared, "She never made a birthday cake for you, the bloody hag. Just wait until I am better," he would have gone on in this vein, but Remus cut him off, "Calm down Sirius." He said sharply but Sirius was too angry to take notice.

He had been there for only five minutes and he had seen how eager the Dursleys had been to throw Harry out and how eager Harry had been to get out of that house. Petunia's parting shot had been to ask Harry to stay in the School all year and to tell him, not request him to keep Harry for the summer until he could get back to School again.

"I will take care of them Remus." Remus was disturbed by the anger he saw there and wondered what had happened at the Dursleys. Harry had not spoken about them and Sirius had come back very quickly with Harry, in about fifteen minutes. "I will hex them." Sirius's eyes took on a different type of glint. "Maybe a nice muggle prank with a spell in it. Yeah, that would be fine." He was now nodding to himself for a minute before he shook his head as if trying to clear it and turned to Harry with a wide smile.

"Come on Harry. No need to talk about those worthless hags. Cut your cake, it looks delicious and then you can open your gifts." He said gaily to Harry, who noticed along with Remus the angry glint that had not quite vanished from his eyes.

Harry cut the cake blushing furiously; he was too old for this, after all. But a warm feeling enveloped him, taking him by surprise, when Sirius had roared at the Dursleys on his behalf.

All of them had a piece of the delicious chocolate cake and then went to the drawing room where many gifts had been placed on the centre table. Harry had stood there in shock, his memories going to Dudley's birthday when he had gifts just like this, all heaped on the table.

Harry suddenly felt very happy and he turned a beaming face to Sirius and Remus and thanked them both very shyly. "My first presents. Thanks so much. You have got me so many. You needn't have you know. The cake itself was great and would have been enough Sirius."

Sirius's face had gone red once again when Harry had admitted that these were his first gifts and he had looked at Remus who was also shocked and both men nodded, a fact Harry noticed and it totally shocked him to feel so good. He had forgotten the hurt he had had inside because of his so called family's treatment, Harry thought ruefully and now he realized it did feel good to have someone angry for him.

In his other life, only Hermione had understood the extent to which he had been neglected and hurt, even though Ron had rescued him in his second year from the Dursleys and knew he was not being treated well there. But Ron was always a bit thick when it came to emotions and had cursed the Dursleys and left it at that. He could not understand how much the lack of belonging had affected Harry. Now in a strange perverse way, Harry felt thrilled by the anger Sirius and Remus were showing on his behalf.

Harry went to the small table and started opening his many gifts. There were books, a magical watch, a photo of his parents, Sirius and Remus together, robes, a wand holster and many pranks from Zonko's.

Harry looked for a long time at the photo and then smiled at Sirius and thanked him and Remus for everything. The three of them had the cake and a light dinner Remus had whipped up and after a hilarious couple of hours, Remus shooed Sirius to rest again. Sirius who was beginning to look haggard, left hugging Harry tightly and whishing him a happy birthday once more.

Harry cleaned up everything and watched when Remus cleaned the dishes with magic. "Remus, can I also try a cleaning spell with my wand?"

Remus thought only for a second before he nodded. Grimmauld Place was very heavily warded and there was no way anyone would detect underage magic and he knew Sirius wanted Harry to learn all the basic spells before leaving for Hogwarts.

"Not today, though Harry. After I finish here, I will give you a brief description of spells and the way to hold your wand and the importance of correct pronunciation; things that are very important for getting the maximum effect of any spell you cast. Then you may read your Transfiguration and Charms text for introductions tonight. We will begin from tomorrow, alright?"

"Great!" Harry told him beaming before running off to get his books. Remus came to the drawing room in about five minutes and took Harry through the basic introduction to magic and half an hour later Harry bid goodnight to Remus and went up to his room and spent the next three hours going through the Self Updating Book of Spells and also his Transfiguration and Charms books just in case Remus would question him about it the next day.

Harry slept well for the first time since he came back to the past, his last thought being that maybe he could just do it this time too and with far less casualties.

He woke up early the next morning and ran to the bathroom to wash and was soon bounding down the stairs. Remus and Sirius were not awake and Harry poked into the cupboards and using a minimum of wandless magic, he did not dare to use his wand in case Remus or Sirius would come in and soon had a huge breakfast prepared.

He sat down and ate until he felt food was coming out of his ears and slowly removed his wand and opening his Self Updating Book of Spells and keeping it conspicuously open on the table, Harry pointed his wand and cast a warming spell on all the dishes. Then he went to the drawing room and sat there with his potions book once again.

Harry had also bought a lot of potions books from Flourish and Blotts and also from the book shop at Knockturn Alley. He was now wading through the One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi and was planning to read a lot more once he had finished with it. He had also bought the Advanced Potion-Making by _Libatius Borage_, and he fully intended to learn that as well, preferably before he started School.

Of course being thirty seven helped in understanding concepts and made it a lot more interesting, Harry decided. He was reading for about half an hour when Remus and Sirius came in. They looked at Harry reading a potions book of all things and stared at him open-mouthed, their good mornings withering away.

Harry had sensed them when they were descending the stairs and now he looked up and smiled at them. "Good morning Sirius, Remus. Today morning I performed my first bit of magic." Harry told them excitedly and they stared even more.

Harry dragged them into the kitchen hoping he was not over acting and showed them the dishes. "You made them all with magic?" Sirius gasped.

Harry had, with wandless magic but naturally he could not say so and he shook his head still grinning widely. "No, I made breakfast as usual, the way I cook at the Dursleys,"

"What! You cook at the Dursleys?" Sirius asked him his blue eyes clouding with anger.

"Er, erm, I… well Sirius I did. That's okay. What I meant to say was I cast this warming charm over everything using the Self Updating Book of Spells. See everything's warm." Harry finished proudly and looked expectantly at them, feeling a total fraud inside.

Remus leaned and at once touched the dishes and grinned at Harry, "Brilliant Harry." He smiled trying to divert Sirius's attention from the Dursleys. Sirius reluctantly touched the dishes and then sat down. "What book is this Self Updating Book of Spells?"

Remus and Harry filled him on all that they had spoken yesterday and Sirius was alternating between admiring Harry for going alone into Gringotts and Knockturn Alley and raging against the Dursleys. He was astounded at all that Harry had managed to accomplish and was proud of him and was sure he was a true Marauder.

They retired to the drawing room after eating and Sirius and Remus answered all questions Harry had about the Wizarding World. And Harry had a great many of them. Sirius and Remus answered Harry's questions until he asked the same questions he had asked Remus the day before.

"Why are you so ill Sirius? Is this why you never came to the Dursleys to see me and were my parents drunkards?" Harry had asked eliciting another horrified roar from Sirius and even Remus this time. Harry had shrugged. "Well that was what the Dursleys told me. They said my mum and dad were good for nothing freaks and so was I." Harry's tone was normal but he was red with embarrassment of saying all this aloud.

Sirius and Remus looked at each other before both of them told Harry about Voldemort, Peter, Azkaban, everything.

"I was released because someone knew about Peter being an animagus, that is he could turn into an animal at will Harry. Some witches and wizards have this ability and Peter was one of them. I was released some two weeks ago and I spent about ten days sleeping. Remus came here only two days ago, he had been hiding away, since James and I had shamelessly thought him a traitor because he was a werewolf," Sirius stopped there horrified at what he had just said. Remus looked equally horrified and he was moving away from Harry slightly when Harry caught hold of his arm and dragged him down.

"What! Remus you never told me. WOW! Can you transform now and show me?" Harry asked praying this would go well.

Sirius and Remus stared at Harry their mouths hanging in a very unattractive way that was making Harry want to roll on the ground with laughter and he thought of all kinds of things to keep his face from splitting into two.

"Er what Harry?" Remus asked him after a few minutes.

"Did I say something wrong? Why are you looking at me like that? I only wanted to see a werewolf that's all." Harry told them in a small voice and was rewarded with a mighty hug from Remus.

"Hey!" Harry cried hugging him back.

"Thank you Harry." Remus told him, his brown eyes very bright. Sirius was also beaming now and together they filled Harry of why his statement about Remus was so startling.

"But Remus that's so silly. This is only a problem that occurs one day in a month. Why should you be shunned for that?" he asked seemingly bewildered and was rewarded by their happy laughter.

"That's what your father used to say. He used to call it my furry little problem." Remus told Harry and then they spoke more freely sitting together the whole day and long into the night, talking about Harry's parents, Hogwarts, the Wizarding World, Voldemort, his death eaters and how Harry had defeated the darkest wizard and saved them all.

Harry was also properly baffled about the person who could manoeuvre the Weasley wards and capture the rat and instruct the Headmaster to set Sirius free.

"Whoever it was, I owe them a life debt Harry and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. Else, I would not have been able to bring you here. Remus would have never come because he was thought the traitor by all of us and had hidden away and werewolves are really not treated well by the Wizarding World." Sirius finished sadly and all of them sat there deep in their own thoughts for a long time before going to sleep.

From the next day Remus started proper training of Harry's magic and he was amazed at how quickly Harry picked up everything. Sirius though, was a bit disgruntled at Harry's interest in potions and his enthusiasm for learning the subject.

Sirius and Remus had told Harry all about the professors in Hogwarts and Harry had sighed when they had come to Snape. "Snape is the potions Master Harry and he is a G.R.E.A.S.Y. G.I.T. Like that. You will lose interest in potions once you meet him." Sirius had laughed while Remus had smiled.

"Then how did mum study under him? You told me she was brilliant in potions and charms did you not?" Harry had challenged and Sirius had scowled but Remus had explained.

"Oh no Harry Snape was a student with us. At that time the Potions professor was a man by name Slughorn." Remus explained.

"And the git was horrible and a death eater to boot." Sirius had said very viciously not caring for the frown that Remus gave him.

"Sirius!" Remus's voice was reproachful. Turning to Harry Remus smiled a bit, "Well it should be obvious that we were not friends with each other Harry. Sirius and James especially were always at odds with Snape and all of us I am afraid fought a good bit with each other."

Harry finally understood the enmity. His father was jealous of Snape and had always been against Lily's friendship and Sirius who was closest to James Potter had taken his friend's side in this. Harry breathed out at the startling understanding. He now knew why his father had always decried Snape's contribution and had always made light of Snape's bravery. He had known about his father's jealously but now Harry knew there was an uncertainty along with the jealousy that made Snape, his father and Sirius fight so.

The same way Snape had belittled James and his son Harry. Snape was cruel and sadistic even after James died because James had got the girl and what must have made that so bitter was the fact Lily went out with James because of Snape _himself_. Harry shook his head trying to clear it of everything. He looked at them, both were looking uncomfortable and wanted to get out of this conversation and Harry really could not blame them.

Remus while very close to both Sirius and James, was not as close as Sirius was to James, and over and above that he was a werewolf who was shunned by one and all; while he never joined in James's and Sirius's ridiculing of Snape he never went against those who had not shunned him and had become animagi to be with him during his most difficult times.

Remus and Peter were more onlookers when it came to vicious Snape baiting because they never competed with Snape for Lily's affection like James did and while all of them played pranks on Snape, Sirius took it to the next level because he understood the jealousy James was feeling towards Snape. Remus did too, but he never participated in the vicious fights, only the harmless pranks. But James hated the friendship Snape had with Lily and he was unsure of Lily's feelings towards the Slytherin and Sirius naturally chose to side with his best friend and his brother in almost every way.

Even after Harry had yelled at everyone the day Snape's portrait had appeared in Hogwarts, only James and Sirius had tried swaying Harry's opinion. Not Remus and not his mother. He sighed and looked at the two silent men who were thinking furiously to somehow change topics and at the same time draw Harry away from potions and Snape. Well they need not worry, because if his other life was any indicator Snape would chew and spit him out this time too.

Harry smiled at Sirius and Remus and they grinned back relieved at Harry. The one thing they had not told him openly was the fact Snape had been friends with his mother and in fact had loved her very much. And they had glossed over their enmity with Snape. Harry was sure that while Snape was no bed of roses, two of the Marauders were no less than him and went out of their way to harass him.

"Well anyhow I love Potions and I am going to do my mother proud." Harry said smiling at both of them and they had no comebacks for that.

That month passed very quickly for Harry, Remus and Sirius, who was so much better by the time Harry was to leave for Hogwarts. Harry had been to Diagon Alley three times and they had all thoroughly enjoyed it. They had let their hair down and gone using various glamour charms and disguises daring the other to try and spot them. Harry had flooed while Remus and Sirius had apparated. Harry had whined and had wanted to learn apparition and Sirius had promised to teach Harry in about two year's time and had laughed at Harry's scowl.

They spent some time everyday in cleaning Grimmauld Place and Harry learned that Kreacher had been sent once and for all to Narcissa Malfoy to work for her. Sirius had expressively forbidden him to take anything from here and had also forbidden him to step inside Grimmauld Place.

"When I came here Kreacher was muttering about what a blood traitor I was and how the Malfoys and Lestranges were the great ones. I was so angry that I told him to get off. Only I made sure he would never be able to come here and take anything from here. There are many dark objects here and the last thing I wanted was to gift all that to Malfoy who is already evil himself." Sirius had explained and Harry had felt relieved.

That was one obstacle down, though Kreacher had become okay later, he had killed Sirius first and Harry was glad the old elf would have nothing to do with Grimmauld Place and had joined happily in the cleaning of the extremely dirty Grimmauld Place. They had worked a partial transformation in the one month Harry was there and Remus had under Sirius's insistence that Harry needed both of them, made Remus stay at Grimmauld Place permanently.

Sirius and Remus slowly started healing the injuries they had inside them, of the last ten years and Harry was growing more and more confident he could pull it off. Harry's next thing on his agenda was to retrieve the Ravenclaw tiara from the Room of Requirement and then somehow tame or kill the basilisk and use its venom to destroy the horcruxes. Then Harry would have taken care of three horcruxes and he would have to wait until his second year to destroy the diary that is if Lucius Malfoy would repeat his actions of the past.

Harry had read and re-read both his potions texts and had also read a lot of other books. In his other life his mother had chided him gently for his nonchalant dislike of potions and had taught him the basics all over again and had made him understand the various properties of the different herbs and other potion ingredients.

She had made Harry work at for a few hours every weekend and had made him understand the importance of brewing good potions. While Harry was not an exceptional at potions and nor did he love it like his mother and Snape, he was not as bad as he was before.

In his other life his priorities had been to be accepted at least in the Wizarding World and solve his many problems as and when they cropped up and crop up they did with an intensity and regularity that was creepy. Also after his third year Harry had suffered almost constantly with Voldemort in his head and that did not make for an exceptional student. He was very powerful, Dumbledore had told him that, but he could not apply that power in a proper manner because he was constantly hindered all the time.

On top of that was he had been fighting blind most of the time with no or very little information. That didn't help either. Now he had the knowledge of his real age and Harry decided he was going to be brilliant. He would apologize to Hermione for stealing her place unfairly later if he could ever tell her about this coming back in time, he decided. He wanted to be a brilliant student and clever so that no one would even think of manipulating him like they had done before.

Everyone had used his innocence; his lack of Wizarding knowledge and the fact Harry had no one speak for him for their own purpose. While Dumbledore had manipulated Harry all for the greater good of course and Voldemort had tried his best to kill him, Harry himself had been given no choice in anything. From the day Harry's parents' had died he had been groomed by Dumbledore to take on the job of the Boy-Who-Lived. This time Harry would try his best to do things differently.

On the 1st of September, Harry got up early and went down to find both Sirius and Remus sitting at the kitchen table looking slightly down. The full moon had been only a few days ago and Sirius had bought the wolfsbane for him and Harry had seen the wolf. Remus had tried to dissuade Harry but Harry had crept in to the dungeons that had bars on the doorway and had sat with Remus and Sirius who had transformed into Padfoot, having a one way conversation with them.

Slowly Remus had allowed Harry to touch him through the bars and Harry had softly stroked him. Remus's eyes were so bright when he had looked at Harry and Harry could see the gratefulness to Harry not being scared. A little while later Harry had slept right there, leaning against the wall and when he awoke, he was in his bed and a very tired Remus was sitting in the chair next to him.

"Thank you Harry, but you need not have." Remus told him, implying that he understood Harry had wanted to show Remus that he had accepted the wolf.

Harry had grinned sleepily, "But Remus I got to see a werewolf." And had turned and snuggled down intending to sleep for some more time. Remus had laughed lightly before going to his own bed.

Now Harry was pouring an indecent amount of syrup on his pancakes and still Sirius and Remus were silent. "What is the matter with you two?"

"You seem very happy to go away from here." Sirius asked him scowling and Harry grinned.

"Hey! I will miss both of you more than you will miss me, Sirius. To tell you the truth I really don't wanna go." Harry whined and looked at them. They were still looking down.

Sirius looked deadly serious. "Remus and I will miss you terribly Harry. It seems such a long time until Midwinter."

Harry's green eyes softened, "I know Sirius." A few minutes later Harry looked at both of them and grinned widely. "Why should I go to Hogwarts anyway? I have got you and Remus to teach me everything and I am sure I can take the OWLS and NEWTS on my own. Please," Harry pleaded hoping this would get Sirius out of the funk he was in, "Please Sirius, say I can stay back here."

That brought Sirius and Remus out of their depression. "What!" both of them exclaimed simultaneously. "Of course you must go Harry. You will be back in no time for Yule. Hogwarts is fun. After all, your father and all of us found each other only there." Remus told him looking worried and Sirius nodded his head in agreement.

"You will come back before you know it Harry. It is only three months and a bit for Midwinter. We will have a lot of fun and we will write everyday."

Harry agreed reluctantly, "Okay. But you will write everyday and I will write too and soon I will be back won't I?"

Remus and Sirius agreed and then all of them took the old paper and portkeyed to an alley near King's Cross. They walked for about three minutes to the station and went to the barrier feeling very nervous. He would be seeing Ron and Hermione and the action would start the moment he crossed the barrier.

The Harry who had come to the station in the other life had been a thin, anxious, abused boy praying for acceptance in the new world he was going to enter. This Harry was still very thin but he was not the worried, scared boy he had been. He was confident and knew almost everything about the Wizarding World that was there to be known and was strong enough to take anything that may be thrown at him, head on.

The three of them walked to the barrier and there Harry's heart stopped. The Weasleys were just before them. Percy and the twins were not there and so Harry assumed they had gone inside.

"Ron you take your sister's hand and walk through it dear. I will come right after you." Mrs. Weasley was telling Ron, who had a smudge on his nose. He nodded to his mother and took Ginny's hand and walked through the barrier and then Mrs. Weasley went in.

"Wow! Sirius, is that the barrier you were telling me?" Harry asked him, slowing down a little, giving the time to the Weasleys to go inside.

Harry had decided this time he would not be the pure Gryffindor Boy-Who-Lived. Instead he would try and unite the Houses as much as he could. For that he had to be seen alone in the beginning and try and mingle as much as he could with everyone. Last time Harry had not known anyone else apart from Ron and Hermione and he had the 'Gryffindor' label stuck to him because of Ron, who was never going to see any good in any Slytherin and anyone who would not come inside his preconceived notions and ideas.

To counter that Harry had to meet Ron in a different manner so that Ron would be convinced about Harry's views and ideas instead of blasé ones like all Gryffindors are good and all Slytherins are evil ones.

In his other life Ron had seen that point of view but that had come after years. Even with Snape's portrait he had not the right attitude. Hermione and Harry had to really work on Ron before he was anywhere near mild acceptance of a Slytherin. Harry and Hermione had never told Ron of the many meetings they had had with Malfoy. Harry now wanted to avoid all the politics of that time.

With that in mind Harry walked in between Sirius and Remus into the barrier and slowly went in. It was so crowded that Harry could not spot the Weasleys and he was grateful for that.

Harry had his trunk shrunk and had told Hedwig to fly to Hogwarts and had shrunk her cage as well. He hugged Sirius and Remus, promised to write them everyday and received their promise to reply his letters everyday and pulled his hood up and got into the train.

A minute later there was a loud horn and Harry leaned from a window and waved wildly to Sirius and Remus. A second later he saw Ginny crying and waving to Ron, Fred and George. Harry looked at her for a second and then turned his attention to Sirius and Remus who were running towards him. He grinned widely feeling very warm and safe in their love and continued to wave until he could see them no more.

_**End of Chapter – 5**_

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	6. Chapter 6

_**Thank you all of you who have read this story so far and to all of you, who have taken the time to review, thank you ILOVEPOTTER**_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 6**_

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Harry waved until the train turned around a bend and the platform was visible no longer. Harry had not seen or noticed anyone else in his tension to avoid the Weasleys especially Ginny and Ron. Now Harry turned away and bumped into another person. "Sorry." Harry said automatically and stepped back and his heart stopped once again, for the second time since he had come to King's Cross.

"It's okay." Answered a prim and proper voice; Hermione's voice. "Her…, I mean er I did not hurt you did I?" Harry stammered and Hermione shook her head and smiled at the boy in front of her. He had messy black hair and gorgeous green eyes and was very thin and as tall as her. On his forehead was a thin scar shaped like a lightening bolt and she gasped.

Harry grinned. He was so happy he felt his heart would simply burst. He had almost spoken her name aloud and had pulled back just in the nick of time. Thankfully Sirius and Remus were not there. They would have picked up something and would have given him the third degree. He thanked his stars that Hermione was only eleven years old and had not clued in on anything. Had it been a fifth year Hermione, Harry knew she would have had him spilling everything by now. She had the special knack to do so after all.

"You are the Boy-Who-Lived." she said in a surprised voice.

Harry grinned once again. "And I am looking for a place to sit." He answered.

She looked at him a long moment and with a 'come on' walked into a compartment almost opposite to the window she had been standing in front of. Harry stepped inside and couldn't stop grinning. Inside were Neville, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan.

All of them looked up when Harry stepped into the compartment and he went and sat down opposite Neville and only stopped himself from greeting all of them.

"Hello, I am Harry Potter." He said making everyone gasp out aloud. After a minute's gawking the others introduced themselves. "Did you know you are in _Modern Magical History_, _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_?" asked Hermione the insatiable.

Harry grinned. "I know. It's all a load of rubbish isn't it?" he asked smiling at her startled look.

"What? You think it is a load of rubbish?" Neville asked him his eyes wide in his round chubby and tense face. Neville did not even notice his frog Trevor jump off his lap and hop away.

"Yeah it is. I mean Voldemort," Harry rolled his eyes when Neville and Seamus gasped and Hermione and Dean looked at them questioningly.

"We never speak of his name." Seamus explained. "He is called You-Know-Who or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. We _never_ speak of his name."

Harry smiled. "Yeah? My Godfather, you know Sirius Black," again Harry was forced to stop by the gasps from Neville and Seamus. He rolled his eyes and spoke again. "Sirius and Remus, who's another friend of my dad and I live with both of them now after Sirius has been found innocent, always use Voldemort's name. They told me never to fear the name; anyway it was not me who defeated bad old Voldemort; it was my mother who sacrificed her life for my sake. And these stupid people are saying I did it. How could I? I was only fifteen months old then."

There was a silence in the compartment as all of them went through all that Harry was saying, in their minds. Then Hermione started with the first question and soon Harry was bombarded by all kinds of questions even Neville asked a good many of them; and Harry answered all the questions as well as he could starting from Voldemort's fall ten years ago. From there the talk proceeded to Hogwarts and Harry told them about the ghosts, the teachers, and the Sorting. That naturally led to a discussion about which House everyone would go to.

"I really don't mind any House." Harry said dropping a bombshell. As he expected everyone stared at him. "But Harry you can't mean Slytherin. That was the House You-Know-Who was in." Neville told him hesitantly.

"Yeah, it was. But you know what Neville, Sirius Black comes from the House of Blacks, one of the darkest families ever. His cousins are Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange." Neville's eyes widened in shock as he gasped, staring at Harry, his face red and a second later he looked down, clenching his hands together. Harry saw that but ignored it and continued. The others had not noticed. They were listening to Harry in rapt attention.

"His own brother was a death eater," Harry told them careful to say only those facts Sirius and Remus had discussed with him and not his own knowledge about everything. "His own brother," repeated Harry, "Regulus Black became a death eater and then tried to run away from Voldemort because he could not stomach the unnecessary killing."

"What happened to him?" Hermione asked him leaning forward and listening keenly.

"He was murdered by Voldemort of course Hermione. No one leaves his service alive. But I was getting somewhere else. Even though he was born and brought up in such a Dark family, Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor and he ran away from his home, leaving everyone behind because he did not want to join with Voldemort."

"Yeah but he was in Gryffindor wasn't he?" asked Seamus triumphantly. "And I bet all his family were in Slytherin."

Harry nodded his head smiling. "Yes. But you know the person who betrayed my parents'; he was their secret keeper and he was a death eater who went and told the secret to Voldemort and it was because of that Voldemort came and attacked all of us and killed my parents'. That person was Peter Pettigrew."

"Yeah I know. I read about it in The Daily Prophet." Seamus told him and Neville nodded, still in shock about Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Peter was their best friend all the seven years they were in School and he was in _Gryffindor_ along with them." Harry finished and all of them gasped understanding what Harry was trying to say.

"Oh Harry you are trying to say that even in Gryffindor there are bad people." Hermione said, summing up all the others thoughts.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, and not only that Hermione. With Voldemort you know he is evil and you can be prepared by warding your home against him, fighting him and his death eaters and also if need be run away and hide from him. But Pettigrew was a friend. A friend for whom my dad would have died and he trusted Pettigrew so much that he entrusted not only his, but his wife's and his baby's life to his care. And he betrayed that trust and was responsible for killing my parents' and for Sirius being put in Azkaban for so many years. But just because of him can you say all Gryffindor is bad?"

"So Slytherin is not bad." Seamus asked Harry thoughtfully.

"I don't know. But I am not going to make friends because someone is in a particular House or someone's parents' belong to a Light family. I am going to make friends because I get along with someone and trust them. That's it." Harry said with finality and left it there. The others needed some time to think about all that and also for his not so subtle message to sink in.

For sometime there was only silence as everyone was lost in their own thoughts. Then, "Oh no I have lost Trevor, my toad." Neville said worriedly.

"Come on," Hermione told him kindly, "I will help you search." And she stood up along with Neville.

"_Accio_ Trevor!" Harry called quietly lifting his wand. Sirius and Remus had not asked from where he had got his wand. They had assumed Harry had bought it at Ollivander's and Harry did not correct them. He decided he would say he was scared to say at first because of their reaction to his venture into Knockturn alley and later he had completely forgotten about it.

The toad came zooming into Harry's hands and he gave the small toad to a relieved Neville and turned to Hermione who was bursting with questions. "How could you do that?" was the first one.

"I practised all last month. I read a lot too. I bought so many books and I am going to equip myself with a lot of knowledge; as much as I can. Knowledge is power." Harry said pompously striking a pose and everyone laughed, but it did not deter Hermione.

"But don't you have underage restrictions?" Hermione asked him puzzled.

"Yes Hermione. But most wizarding homes are completely warded; it is difficult for the Ministry to find out if underage magic has taken place there. I too have tried practising spells, only I have not got a single one right until now." Neville told her.

Hermione welled up with righteous indignation about the fact that those who lived in wizarding homes could use magic and those like her couldn't. But thankfully for the others there was an announcement informing everyone that they had reached Hogsmeade and would the students be ready. Harry, Hermione and Neville were already in their robes and Dean and Seamus put on their robes over their muggle clothes and soon they reached Hogsmeade.

Harry, Hermione and the others got down and waited for someone to take them to Hogwarts. Harry might have wondered a bit about the fact that Draco Malfoy had not made his appearance, if he hadn't cast a notice me not charm wandlessly at the open door. He grinned to himself and waited next to Hermione.

Hagrid was there beaming at everyone and Harry grinned as he called out to the 'Firs' years" and told them to take the boats. "Four to a boat" he bellowed and all the new first years went towards the boats.

The five of them went near the water and looked awkwardly and Harry stepped back and pushed the four to a boat. "Go on." He said when Hermione and Neville protested.

Harry took the next boat with Susan Bones, Hannah Abbot and Terry Boot. All of them sat silently and looked awed as they saw the great castle by night.

Harry felt so much love swelling up at the sight of his beloved School, the fortress Voldemort had been unable to break. He just sat there silently his heart singing at the sight of the castle with her many towers and dungeons.

They went through the curtain of ivy and landed in the rocky harbour and clambered on to the rocks. Harry felt very warm when he saw that Hermione, Neville and Seamus had waited for him and soon all of them were standing behind Hagrid who had lifted an enormous hand to knock on the doors.

Harry looked happily at McGonagall who opened the door and took them inside to wait for their sorting. He was home and it felt so good.

He stayed carefully with Hermione and Neville, Dean and Seamus and saw Malfoy looking at him and turned his face away. Ron was standing in front of Harry and Harry could not see his face. Only his red hair. Harry felt guilty for a second but then McGonagall was speaking to them and all of them got ready for the sorting.

Harry would have been petrified by the Sorting, but for the fact he knew the Hat could not tell what he had seen inside of his head to anyone even the Headmaster. He could hint saying that Harry should be watched and stuff like that but he was charmed so that he could never speak about the students mind to anyone in order to protect their privacy.

Harry was also going to categorically tell the Hat to avoid all mention of him.

"Abbot, Hannah." The sorting had begun and Harry watched as she was sorted into Hufflepuff. One by one everyone was sorted and Hermione to his relief was sorted into Gryffindor and Malfoy into Slytherin. No surprises there. Neville after a very long time was sorted into Gryffindor and then, "Potter, Harry." called McGonagall.

Harry walked confidently to the stool and he avoided looking at the Head Table, where Dumbledore and Snape were sitting. Harry put on the Hat and the Hat gasped.

"I hope no one heard that." Harry said warningly, now all of thirty seven years old.

"Of course they did not Potter." The Hat replied irritably, not amused that one student had already been here once before and was here once again after so many years.

"I am sorry. It is just I do not wish Dumbledore or worse Snape or anyone for that matter to have any idea of my time travel. I did not wish for it, but now that I am here I would like to have many incidents end differently." Harry told the Hat and allowed the Hat to see everything.

"You do realize that by changing everything, you might change your life as well?" the Hat asked quietly. It had seen everything and had been mighty impressed.

"What do I do? I can hardly let Sirius stay in Azkaban for two more years can I? I am aware of course. But I really don't have a choice. I have to live with myself have I not?" Harry asked the Hat heavily.

"Gryffindor?" the Hat asked him.

"Yes please and thank you." Harry replied and just when McGonagall was about to lift the Hat to see why the sorting was taking so late the Hat cried, '_Gryffindor_' and Harry took of the Hat and placed it carefully on the stool and patting it once went to the Gryffindor table and sat next to Hermione and Neville amidst great applause and shouts from the twins of 'we got Potter'.

He still had to look at the Head Table. "I am Fred and this is my twin George Weasley. This so high up person is our brother Percy, the perfect Prefect. Welcome to Hogwarts and Gryffindor and may all of us see your scar?" Fred Weasley grinned at Harry while Percy scowled at his introduction to the Boy-Who-Lived but Harry beamed at the boy who had died in the war and who he had not seen for almost twenty years.

Harry lifted his fringe and showed all the second years with whom they were sitting the scar, grinning all the time. Slowly the others were sorted too, and Dean came to sit with them and then it was Ron's turn. The hat cried 'Gryffindor' and Ron came looking very relieved to sit near his brothers.

"This is ickle Ronniekins our ickle little ickle bro." Fred told Harry, Hermione and Neville who were trying not to laugh at the many ickles that Ron seemed to be. Ron on his part was scowling at his brother and glared at them before turning to all of them to mumble 'Hi'. Then he looked in awe at Harry and Harry obligingly lifted his hair and showed Ron his scar. Ron gaped at the scar and then blushed and looked down.

"Hi Ron." Harry said softly looking at his first best friend of the past or was it the future? Harry didn't know. Ron grinned back and at that time Dumbledore told all of them to 'nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak' and start eating. Soon all of them were eating and chattering hard.

Nearly Headless Nick came smiling and huffed away irritably after Ron called him 'Nearly Headless Nick' and Seamus wanted to know how he could be nearly headless.

After they finished there was a sound from the Head Table calling for attention and Harry turned his head from where he had been speaking to a surprisingly chatty Neville; maybe all that he needed was some of the right attention Harry thought before he looked at the Head Table.

McGonagall had been tapping her goblet with her wand requesting for silence and getting it almost at once. Dumbledore got to his feet and his eyes swept around the Great Hall. Harry looked at the man he had been going to make his peace with, to hear his apology and become friends with him once again and to ultimately help him make his peace with Snape.

Harry stared at Dumbledore when he smiled at everyone. His eyes swept the Great Hall and settled for a moment extra on Harry and his smile widened and then he straightened and started speaking.

Harry waited with baited breath for the announcement he had been waiting to hear and Dumbledore did not disappoint. He started with the usual notices and then finally, "And last but not the least the third floor corridor to the right hand side is completely out of bounds to all Hogwarts students. Those who will break this rule may expect to die a most painful death."

Harry did not hear more; he did not hear about Dumbledore asking everyone to sing the School song nor did he hear so many off – key renderings of the said song.

It had started. The madness had begun and for the first time Harry let his eyes rove all over the Head Table. He saw the stuttering DADA professor Quirrell and sitting next to him was Snape!

Harry looked at the man whose contribution was the single most important one to win the war. All for love. Maybe what Dumbledore said love being the unknown power was not so false?

Snape who had been sitting stiffly scowling at the horrible noise that was the School song suddenly turned his head and stared at Harry. Harry stared back wondering whether Snape would use Legilimency. He didn't and Harry slowly smiled at him. An innocent, wide, hesitant smile and grinned to himself when Snape scowled and turned away. Point to me, Harry thought vastly amused. Snape was going to be fun.

Harry saw Quirrell who was shaking next to Snape and then moved his eyes to McGonagall and lastly to Dumbledore. Dumbledore was watching him with bright blue eyes and Harry smiled once again and Dumbledore simply beamed back.

Afterwards all the first years were taken to the Gryffindor common room by 'Pompous Percy' as he had been dubbed by the twins and Harry finally reached his dorm after he and Neville exchanged good night greetings with Hermione. Already Hermione was different from their past. She had been with Harry and Neville the whole day and her happiness simply shone on her face.

Harry saw his bed, the very same one that he had been using for the six years he had been here and this time he was determined to study all the seven years and not write his NEWTS a year later after private study like last time. He removed his trunk from his pocket and placed it on the ground, enlarged it and opened it. He removed his night things, went to the bathrooms to have a wash and came back and sat down to write to Sirius and Remus about his day.

"Good night Harry." Neville, Dean, Seamus and Ron called out to him and to each other and Harry wished all of them as well and closing the curtains began to write.

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The next morning saw Harry up nice and early. He was used to getting up early and saw no need to change that. He woke up and went leisurely to the bathrooms and had a long hot shower. Then neatly dressed in Black School robes with his Gryffindor badge gleaming above his left breast, Harry went into the dorm to take his bags to leave for the Great Hall. Today classes would begin.

"'Morning Harry." a voice greeted him sleepily and Harry turned to find Neville stretching and smiling at him. Harry grinned back, "Morning Neville. I am going down to the Great Hall. Coming?"

"In five minutes." Neville said turning immediately to search for his robes.

"I will be down in the common room okay?"

"Okay Harry." Neville called as he ran towards the bathrooms.

Harry laughed softly and taking his bottomless bag he had purchased on one of his trips to Diagon Alley with Sirius and Remus that was filled with all kinds of books including his favourite Self Updating Book of Spells, went to the common room and sat down in his usual place of old.

Harry breathed deeply and took out his Self Updating Book of Spells and started reading about warding spells. There was so much information and knowledge in these books it was amazing.

Ten minutes later a visibly panting Neville came crashing down the stairs looking anxiously for Harry and visibly relieved when he saw Harry waiting for him.

"Thanks for waiting Harry." Neville told him in gasps and Harry laughed and lifting his bag on his shoulders stood up. "Come on Nev, to the Great Hall for breakfast." Harry told him gaily feeling guilty he had not done this last time. But then he too had been only eleven and had been looking for acceptance and friendship just like Neville was now. Harry glanced at Neville whose face had bloomed when Harry had abbreviated his name and he had simply bounced all the way to the Great Hall.

They were very early as it was just half past seven in the morning. In fact they were the only two in their year and apart from other five or six fifth and sixth years the Gryffindor table was empty. Harry was sure to ask a few portraits the way to the Great Hall so that it would not look as if he knew everything.

The Head Table was full though and all the professors were there early having a cup of tea and breakfast, mentally preparing for the start of yet another new year.

Harry and Neville sat down, Harry taking care to see he did not look up at the professors and waited for breakfast that came to them in a few seconds. Both the boys were quiet as they busily helped themselves to everything they wanted and then ate in a companionable silence.

They were almost finished when Neville looked down and very hesitantly spoke to Harry, "Harry your Godfather is not friendly with the Les… Lestranges is he?"

"No Nev, of course not. He hates them, despises them." And then Harry's green eyes softened and he added very softly, "He told me about your parents Nev." Harry watched as Neville's face became red with embarrassment and a fear of ridicule. But before he could say something defensively, Harry continued, "He said they were great people and Bellatrix Lestrange deserved to die a most horrible death for torturing them. He knew them you know." and Harry saw Neville's eyes lift to Harry's face and a ray of hope slowly blooming in them.

"He did?" Neville breathed.

Harry nodded smiling. "Yes and I believe my parents and yours used to meet at special meetings to fight against Voldemort. That is what Sirius said, to discuss the war and the attacks and they only stopped meeting when my parents' had to go into hiding."

"My gran says my dad was very powerful and very brave. I am neither you know. They thought I was a squib for a long time. Then one day I fell out of the window and rolled all the way down and my uncle Algie was so happy I had magic inside me, he got me Trevor. I always forget everything you know, I wish I could somehow do my Gran proud." Neville sighed and then realized what he had said went red with shame.

"Why don't you?" Harry asked reasonably.

Neville raised incredulous eyes to Harry. Neither boy was aware of the interest they had caused by their serious conversation. Dumbledore sipping his tea at the Head Table knew they had not met. He was very curious about the conversation, but he was not to know. Snape in the meantime was glaring at the boy-who-dared-to-smile-the-day-before. He had been totally shocked by the innocent smile Lily's boy had sent him.

Lily's boy. Snape had a very bitter few minutes after those words flashed in his mind. Even after one month with the dog and the wolf, the boy had smiled innocently at him. He had scowled and turned away. But the boy had not been perturbed at all. Today he seemed to be embroiled in a very serious conversation with the Longbottom boy. He wondered what it could be but did not want to employ Legilimency just yet. So he contented himself to keep staring hard like the Headmaster at the two boys.

Dumbledore had decided to invite Sirius and Remus and ask them about Harry. He was very intrigued by the thin Boy-Who-Lived who oozed unheard of confidence for a first year. For a child whose Hogwarts letter was addressed to the 'cupboard under the stairs' he was amazingly cheerful and confident. He was very curious indeed. Harry and Neville oblivious of all this, were still talking to each other.

"How can I Harry? I told you I am almost a squib." Neville sounded desperate.

"What if I say you are not? Neville," Harry told him seriously, "half the battle is your own confidence. If you were almost a squib you would have never been invited to study here and nor would you have been sorted into Gryffindor. Will you be my study partner? We can do it together."

Neville beamed and grinned, really grinned at Harry, thanking him fervently and Harry grinned back brushing it off, and the observers at the Head Table watched intently as the serious conversation that almost seemed to leave Neville in tears and then suddenly Neville was grinning so widely and was talking very fast to Harry who was nodding his head and saying something that seemed to make Neville happier.

Harry and Neville started talking about their lessons and the Great Hall slowly filled up with sleepy students and in a very few cases like Percy and Hermione, very eager ones.

Hermione came in looking almost as anxious as Neville and her face and stride relaxed when she saw them.

"Good morning Harry, Neville. When did you get up?" she asked anxiously as if she had missed a good portion of her lessons.

"Oh! I usually get up very early Hermione. Nev and I got up at the around the same time and came down to have breakfast. We were just planning to study together. How about you, will you join us?"

Hermione's eyes simply blazed and it was all that Harry could do to stop laughing out aloud, because he knew she would feel insulted and all her insecurities would come all at once and kill her.

"Of course I will help you two and a study plan will work wonders and I will draw up a schedule," Harry started laughing, he could not help it; Hermione's zeal and Neville's terror seeing her go was simply too funny for words.

"Hey! Cool down. You are simply great you know Hermione." Harry told her soothingly, seeing her very hurt, "But this is only the first day. I am sorry I laughed but you were terrorizing young Nev here." And Harry threw an arm around her and grinned.

Slowly the hurt left her and she smiled. "I did get carried away didn't I? But we will study together won't we? I mean," she blushed at how anxious she sounded but before she could valiantly continue, Harry butted in, "Of course Hermione. We will together, and take the whole of Hogwarts by storm." All of them laughed and the Head Table was once again wondering what the three of them were now discussing.

Harry and Neville decided to wait for Hermione to finish and at that time a very sleepy Ron, Dean and Seamus came in. seeing the disgustingly fresh three, they blinked and sat down opposite them to start eating their breakfast.

"All of you got up very early?" Dean asked them.

"Yes. Harry woke up first and waited for me to get ready and we have been talking and chatting here. Hermione came just a little while ago." Neville told Dean. Hermione though, was not listening to the conversation. Instead she had her head and mind immersed in her Transfiguration text book and Ron seeing that nudged Seamus and they snickered.

Harry noticed it but did not say a word. This was why he had not sat with Ron on the train and had been neutral with him. If he did get close, Ron would demand certain rights as a friend, rights Harry could not afford to give him.

He would want to consider all Slytherins as evil, would want to fight Malfoy every time, curse Snape with a hatred Harry simply did not possess and on top of all this Ron would simply kill himself with jealousy seeing an assured and self confident Harry, not to mention a very rich one as well.

To remain casual friends right now was the best thing and Ron's attitude towards Hermione, already made Harry believe he had done the right thing. Hermione was not aware of the snickering or if she was, she was not showing it. She ate at a steady pace and as soon as she finished she closed her book and looked smartly at Harry.

At that time McGonagall was walking down the tables handing out schedules to everyone. Harry, Hermione and Neville received theirs and immediately Harry looked at his. He had Transfiguration followed by potions for two periods and then lunch. They had all their classes with the Slytherins and in the afternoon they had Charms.

"Well let us get on to Transfiguration class. Coming?" Hermione asked Harry and Harry and Neville got up and telling the others to come fast they left. Harry asked a few portraits about the way to class and soon they were standing in front of the classroom.

Sharp at nine the classroom opened and McGonagall bid all of them enter. They were treated to a lecture that Harry found especially boring and then were asked to turn matchsticks into needles.

Harry got his needle at the first try. He sat back and whispered to Neville who was partnering him, teaching him about how to do it. At that time McGonagall was coming around and was about to scold Harry when she saw the needle. She stopped in shock.

"Mr. Potter." and placed more matchsticks on his table. "Could you?" she gestured to him and he removed his wand and softly saying the spell, waved his wand.

All the match sticks turned into needles, their ends sharp and pointy. McGonagall gaped at him, but did not say a word and moved on. She watched Harry teaching Neville and after Hermione, Malfoy and Zabini, Neville was the only one to get his needle right at the end of the class.

They left the classroom and Hermione spent the entire time during the walk to the Potions classroom by asking Harry how he could transfigure all the matchsticks at the same time?

Harry smiled and acted innocent. "Well I wanted to change every matchstick Hermione and so I succeeded. When I cast the spell I cast it for all the matchsticks not one by one. That would take so much time."

They had reached the potions classroom and the Slytherins and the Gryffindors were standing on either side of the door. Harry had his One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi and was reading through the various herbs and their properties. Seeing his example, a few other students were also doing the same.

"Potter?" asked a soft and incredibly superior sounding voice.

Harry looked up slowly and nodded his eyes very cautious and his smile very pleasant. He wanted to pull this off properly.

"Draco Malfoy." The boy said holding out his hand and looking at Harry expectantly.

"You are Narcissa Black Malfoy's son?" Harry asked him, completely throwing him.

Neither boy knew that a very interested Snape was listening behind doors. He had wanted to observe the Boy-Who-Lived before banging the doors open and now Potter was talking to Malfoy instead of hexing him. This was beyond interesting and into the shocking and he wanted to hear more.

"Eh, what?" asked Malfoy completely taken aback. He had never expected Harry to reply like this. "Yes." He managed before steadying himself and then smiled and held out his hand once again.

Harry did not hesitate and grabbed Malfoy's hand and shook it warmly. "Pleased to meet you Malfoy. My Godfather Sirius Black has told be she was his cousin and that they grew up together." Harry grinned to himself while an extremely bewildered Malfoy processed all this information before he continued, "Are you prepared for professor Snape's class?"

"What? Black? Why?" Malfoy was bewildered enough to get confused and stop sprouting off against lesser and betters. Harry held his breath. This was going far better than he had even hoped for.

"Because he is very strict we've heard." Harry said seriously.

"For you Gryffindors. With us Slytherins he is different." Malfoy told him, nose in the air.

"You mean partial and showing favouritism? That's how he is different, isn't he?" snarled Ron.

Harry sighed inside and nodded his head to Malfoy hoping he looked jealous. "I know. Wish McGonagall would take a leaf out of Snape's book. She could favour us Gryffindors you know, but I believe she is as strict with us as she is with you, Sirius told me. It's not fair. You Slytherins are so lucky." Harry pouted and Malfoy who had been about to say something horribly rude to Ron was diverted by this piece of analysis from Harry.

Draco Malfoy stared for sometime trying to get everything straight in his mind and also look as if Slytherins were the luckiest ones, instead of having everyone curse them for being evil, and Snape, for favouring them. He nodded once again not knowing what to say and to his relief at that time the doors banged open and Harry saw Snape billowing away to the front sharply saying, "Come in and don't dither."

Harry had been very careful about his Occlumency right since morning. In fact he had been slowly preparing his mind by having Parseltongue spells on all of his other life memories making sure no one would access them. Unless you knew the passwords and spoke them in a certain order you would not be able to access the memories. It was a mild variation of a memory charm and Harry was confident it would work.

He had arranged the memories of his time with the Dursleys and then kept them suppressed like some sort of natural Occlumency then his last month with Sirius and Remus, which was also suppressed. Harry had wanted to give an impression of wanting no one to see his rather sad past and that he had become somehow adept at suppressing all his memories. By projecting a totally different attitude and character on the outside, Harry hoped to confuse everyone.

Harry knew Dumbledore and Snape would peep into his mind. It was only a question of when and Harry wanted his mind to be blissfully empty and hoped they would conclude that Harry had 'natural Occlumency shields'. So far he had been very careful and had not said anything that he should not have known and Harry wanted to keep it that way.

All of them trooped in silently into the dark classroom and quietly sat down. Harry paired with Neville and Hermione with Parvati Patil. The Slytherins too were very quiet and they settled down with a minimum of fuss.

Harry set his things and slowly looked at the man he wanted the most to make his peace with.

_**End of Chapter – 6**_

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	7. Chapter 7

_**Thank you, all of you who have read this story so far and to everyone who took that extra time to review! Thank you Karekid2006, HappyReader1, gowvan**_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 7**_

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Snape was standing at the front of the classroom and sneering at everyone and his sneer became more pronounced when he saw the Gryffindors. He started by taking register and he stopped when he came to Harry's name. He looked up and glared at Harry, "Harry Potter." he said softly, his black eyes glittering, "Our new _celebrity_."

Harry simply looked at him with wide eyes and he willed himself to blush. He was rewarded by the famous Snape sneer before Snape continued with the register.

After register Snape gave his now very famous speech and after ending it with a 'if you aren't a big bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach' he turned to Harry, his eyes gleaming with dislike.

"Potter," he barked, "What will I get if I add the powered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Harry stood up before he started answering.

"Please sir; they will together make a sleeping draught so powerful it is called the Draught of Living Death. The potion can put one to sleep for as long as you would want. They will have no heart beat and nor will they be able to breathe. It will be as if they are truly dead but they are not. To wake them you have to give them the antidote. That is all I know about this potion sir."

Snape simply stared at the deferential Boy-Who-Lived. How many sirs' had Potter used in that small explanation? Snape blinked once and continued. "A bezoar Potter?"

"It is a small round stone removed from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons sir." Harry replied promptly and if Snape could have he would have gaped at the Boy-Who-Lived. As Snape did not do gaping, he simply stared at the potions savvy and very reverent and unbelievably respectful Harry Potter. He was so shocked he did not ask the third question and turned away to the blackboard and flicked his wand at it saying harshly to the rest of the class, "Well why aren't you all writing it down?"

At once, everyone sprung into action and the sound of parchment and quills being removed and a lot of quills scratching on parchment could be heard. Snape had, in the meantime flicked his wand at the board and the method of preparing a simple potion to cure boils same as Harry's last time appeared.

"Read this very simple instruction carefully on the board and prepare a potion to cure boils. Get down to it." Snape said sharply and all of them hurried to set their cauldrons. Point to me, Harry thought laughing to himself, setting his cauldron and also simultaneously helping Neville set up his, explaining about the potion all the time, conspicuously looking at the instructions on the board all the time.

Both of them had managed to complete their potions properly and carefully and awkwardly poured his potion into a vial and poured some of Neville's potion into a vial for him and tightly closed it when he felt the tendrils of Legilimency. So Snape had been unable to resist. Well Harry was prepared and went about his work, writing his name on the vial.

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Snape had not been able to resist. Harry Potter was extremely confident. Not even his father or Black had been like this. And he was almost grovelling to Snape. That alone was wrong on so many counts that Snape was actually alarmed and worried. Potter had spent a whole month with the bloody dog and werewolf and he was still so respectful without a sneer, a smirk or a sarcastic comment, the moment he saw Snape? That was just not possible. On top of that was his almost perfect knowledge of potions. He wondered how Potter had fared in Transfiguration, the class they had before this. Even Lily had no clue of potions and had developed a love for the subject only because of him.

Snape's lips twisted bitterly and his eyes turned inward as he thought of her. He remembered teaching Lily potions from the moment he had told her she was a witch and had made her love the subject like himself. She became as proficient as he in the exact art of potion making.

He narrowed his eyes and looked at Harry who was pouring a perfect potion into his vial, brewed effortlessly and what was more had made sure the foolish Longbottom boy got his correct as well. Snape knew about Neville and about how late he had shown magic and was expecting him to be a walking disaster and it was almost as if Potter would know about it because he had gone out of his way to help Longbottom.

He wondered what they had been discussing in the Great Hall in the morning and then his thoughts went to the scene outside the potions class with Malfoy. That was very mature and Potter had nipped what would have turned into a major fight and on top of that had bewildered the Slytherin. That was not so easily done especially with Malfoy and Snape was intrigued. Black and Lupin would have done their best to vilify Slytherin House and also Snape, Malfoy and anyone they knew would be in first year this year with Potter. Then why had Potter acted so friendly with Malfoy. It was as if he wanted to avoid confrontations and become friends.

So he peeped. And he was shocked. There was nothing on the surface except his intention to write neatly on the vial. Either Potter was a fantastic natural Occlumens or he really was that empty and Snape would not believe Potter to be empty. He could not go further in without alerting and hurting Potter and letting him know that something was happening inside his head. Well he decided to wait and watch. Snape knew he was after all was very good at that.

---------------

Harry knew he would be watched after Snape saw his very empty mind and grinned to himself. He acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary and walked up to Snape and handed over his vial and waited for Neville to hand over his. Harry was alert to catch the vial if Neville let it slip from his visibly shaking hand.

However Neville managed to hand over the vial and both of them left the classroom, Neville visibly relieved. "Merlin Harry! You saved my life." Neville gasped the moment they were out of that class. Hermione had joined them and Harry casually brushed it away. "I know if our positions had been reversed you would have done the same for me Nev, so no big deal there."

Ron, Dean and Seamus came out visibly wiping their faces and shaking their heads. "What a class." Seamus said feeling fully drained.

"At least we did not lose any points. Fred was saying yesterday that Snape always takes points off us, and it really would have been awful to lose points on our very first day. I was so scared that he would yell at us and take away points from us." Harry told them and all of them shuddered and agreed. They too had heard Fred yesterday. It would have made a bad impression to have points taken away on their very first day and during their very first potions class.

They walked up to the Great Hall making small talk. That set the tone for the first year Gryffindors and they attended all classes and held themselves admirably. Quirrell was a joke as he was last time and they learned nothing from him in his class.

Harry became firm friends with Hermione and Neville and both of them were fast losing their shyness. Ron, Seamus and Dean, Parvati and Lavender were friendly but nothing more. Ron had got into enough fights with Malfoy and the other Slytherins and had everything from points being taken away from him to being placed in detention at least two days a week. It did not seem to deter him and Harry watching from a distance, was gladder than ever that he had chosen as he did.

Snape was watching him silently and Harry acted as if he was not aware and worked very hard. While the practical came to him without effort, even without thought the correct way of expressing the theory still had to be learnt and sometimes Harry found it excruciatingly boring. But he endured and always made sure he would be prepared for class.

For Hermione it was a novel situation where someone else was better than her and could effortlessly get everything at one go. She could not even say he was from a wizarding family because Harry had lived like a muggle and until he received his Hogwarts letter he did not know he was magical just like her. He had just one month of practising magic that she did not have and he topped every time in every class.

She studied hard and so did Neville. They had their first flying lessons two weeks after start of term and Ron got into a fight with Malfoy as usual and throwing curses at each other, both of them took shakily to the air when Madam Hooch had gone with Neville to the hospital wing. Neville had replayed his injury of bucking on his broom and falling down. Harry did not hesitate and also soared up into the air to separate Malfoy and Ron who were throwing what hexes they knew at each other and Malfoy knew far more than Ron.

He got Ron with a spell that made painful boils sprout all over Ron's face. Ron removed his hands to cover his face with a howl of pain and was about to lose balance and fall down, when Harry caught on to Ron. Harry held Ron who was now whimpering in pain and dived. Harry had one hand on his broom and with one hand somehow held on to Ron until they were only a few feet from the ground.

Harry pulled up his broom sharply, slowing it down and removing his hand from his broom, held on to Ron tightly with both hands and jerked him off his broom and held on to him. Harry could not stop his broom before he hit the ground because he was now holding on to Ron as well. About a foot or two from the ground Harry let go off Ron and rolled on to the ground, letting his boom crash. Ron's broom had already crashed to the ground when Harry pulled Ron off it.

Harry stood up shakily and dusted himself off and Hermione, who had run to them along with Neville and the other Gryffindors, pointed her wand at Ron, who had fallen to the ground and was now whimpering in pain clutching his face, shouted a counter spell and vanished the boils in a minute.

That was when McGonagall had come and dragged Harry away and made him Gryffindor's new seeker. Harry was very thoughtful for the next few days. Some events had changed but some events still happened only differently. He must be careful from his fourth year because that was when the deaths started happening, starting with Cedric.

Harry still felt a sense of amazement when he saw Cedric. Every time he saw the Hufflepuff a small prayer would escape his lips and Harry hoped this time around he would live a long life like just like he hoped for many others, them being Sirius, Remus, Snape, Dumbledore, Tonks, Mad-Eye, Fred and Hedwig and so many others who had died needlessly the last time.

Harry was very normal to Malfoy. McGonagall had seen the fight between Malfoy and Ron and had punished both of them. Malfoy had acted edgy the next time he had seen Harry, but Harry had only scowled at him and shook his fist very seriously at a mildly alarmed Malfoy and then had grinned. Malfoy had rolled his eyes and then they went to playing word games with each other.

The first time Malfoy had insulted Hermione, calling her a mudblood while they were arguing about something, Harry and Hermione had stared at him, with Hermione not knowing what the word meant and Harry pretending he did not know, though he felt like punching Malfoy on his snooty nose. Neville had done that, with his fists because he was no where near Malfoy's range in wand fighting.

Harry had acted shocked and in the silence Snape had borne down on them, asking them harshly what had happened. Neville had kept quiet and Malfoy after a slightly scared look at Harry had looked down. Snape had punished the three Gryffindors by taking ten points each for fighting with a Slytherin and had billowed away.

"What does that word mean?" Harry had asked softly, a hint of warning in his voice, a tone that all the three of them learned never to provoke.

Malfoy looked defiant when he had explained just what the word had meant. "So you are also calling my mother who was a muggleborn the same name?" Harry had asked glaring at him his voice very soft. Malfoy knew that in a minute Harry would start yelling and then he was frightening, his power leaking out of him.

They had argued a few times and rarely did Harry become angry, but when he did he was rather frightening and most of them who saw that anger the first time were invariably careful the next time.

Now Malfoy did not answer and after about two minutes of simply staring him down, "May I request you to never utter that word?" he had asked, holding out his hand for Malfoy to shake. The implication was very obvious. Harry meant that if Malfoy would utter mudblood, Harry would fight him, because his mother was a muggleborn. Malfoy was enjoying his well, not friendship, but something like that relationship with Harry and he did not want to stop being whatever he was with Harry. So he swallowed his pride and nodded once and shook Harry's hand.

"Thank you." Harry had told him making Malfoy feel that he had granted Harry a favour, which is what Harry had wanted and Malfoy had walked away feeling he had not lost anything much. Hermione healed Neville's bruise and all of them went to their common room. But from then on Malfoy and his friends never called Hermione or anyone mudblood, at least when Harry was anywhere around.

It was now just a week before Halloween and Harry was sure Quirrell would bring in the troll somehow into Hogwarts. He would have to make sure this time Hermione would not be anywhere near the girls' bathroom or indeed anybody else. Now that Hermione was not so bossy and she had someone studying far better than her, she was just a slightly studious girl, helping Neville in most of his subjects.

Before Quirrell brought the troll into the School Harry wanted to accomplish one more thing. He wanted to remove the Ravenclaw horcrux from the Room of Requirement and keep it safely with him. He decided to remove the horcrux that night a week before Halloween. That would take his collection of horcruxes to three Harry thought with satisfaction.

That night Harry waited for everyone to sleep and at midnight, he spelled his curtains with a repelling charm, made himself invisible first and took his trunk, shrunk it and placed it into his pocket. Harry then changed into his Phoenix form still invisible and flashed to the seventh floor. He changed back still invisible and walked three times thinking hard of a place to hide his book.

On his third walk a door appeared and Harry went inside and heaved a sigh of relief. It was the same room. Harry walked swiftly until he came to diadem; it was still there and Harry silently levitated it from afar and placed it into his trunk. He shrunk it wishing that he could destroy the three damned horcruxes safely right now and then shrieked when the room turned into a dungeon with a three shallow basins placed at a distance from each other and filled with what looked like snake venom.

Harry just sat there for some time before he realized what had happened. The Room of Requirement had granted his earnest wish and desire to destroy the horcruxes. This was beyond perfect Harry thought, truly elated and he suspected that the stuff in the basin was basilisk venom. Harry withdrew his wand and cast many warding spells at the door and mentally asked the Room to tell him the method and also requested the destruction of the horcrux not be heard outside. The writing started forming on the wall opposite the door.

_Take the horcrux and levitate it into the shallow basin that has basilisk venom in it. Stand behind the blue line drawn on the floor and you will not be hurt. No one else will hear of the destruction of the horcrux. _

Harry looked down and saw the blue line running through the length of the Room of Requirement dividing the whole room into two unequal lengths. He crossed it and stepped into the smaller divide and enlarged his trunk and removed the diadem first. He levitated it carefully and placed it into the shallow basin that was on his left. For a second nothing happened and then there was an awful, agonizing scream as he horcrux burned and died. From the blue line on the floor a strong transparent shield had sprung up until the ceiling and nothing came near Harry. The whole exercise had taken five minutes.

Harry sweating with a combination of thrill and fear and immense satisfaction that one part of the psychopath had been destroyed, did not waste time and repeated his actions with the other two.

Fifteen minutes of holding his breath Harry had destroyed three of the horcruxes. He wondered as he shrunk his trunk about whether he could touch the ring, locket and the diadem, when there appeared a big bowl of some solution and words that told him to levitate the three objects and place them in the bowl. Harry did so and the pale pink solution turned a dark blue, removing all residue of dark magic and then vanished leaving only the three objects inside. The Room told Harry that the objects were safe now and Harry went cautiously near the bowl.

Harry used his one wand to levitate the diadem and asking the Room of Requirement for another empty bowl, placed the diadem not into the bowl but holding it over, used his other wand to cleanse the diadem in all ways he knew. Harry put that aside and repeated the same process with the ring and the locket and then held all of them in his hands.

He looked at them and then smiling tiredly to himself and placed them in his trunk, shrunk it and bowed to the Room thanking it fervently and changing into a Phoenix and flashed to his bed. Harry changed and enlarged his trunk and crashed on to his bed and slept the sleep of the tired and hard working.

The week before Halloween went by slowly and Harry was on a new high, destroying three horcruxes safely and securely made him exceptionally cheerful and happy, and everyone wondered what had made Harry so carefree and visibly happy.

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The first staff meeting after School began took place the day before Halloween, two months after start of the School year. All the professors had gathered together and gave their opinions about various issues and tackled various problems that had needed attention in the School. After discussing regular matters; all of them expressed their surprise about the performance of one Harry James Potter.

"He is amazing Albus. That is the word. He will surely be better than Lily in Charms." Squeaked the little professor Flitwick.

Pomona Sprout nodded. "While he is not the best in my class, he is one of the brighter students Albus."

Sinistra agreed with Pomona and McGonagall stared at Albus when he turned to her. "On the first day he turned his matchstick into a needle in about one second. Then he was helping Longbottom. I had not noticed his needle until I went close to his seat, intending to scold him. Then I saw the needle and surprised, gave him a bunch of matchsticks and asked him to transfigure them. I thought he would start one by one but he did not Albus. He did not separate them one by one, but waved his wand and transfigured the whole lot of them."

Dumbledore was surprised. That was truly unheard of. "His incantation was not loud, almost silent and now copying him, Longbottom, Granger, Thomas, Finnegan, Weasley, Malfoy and Zabini are also saying their spells very softly, almost non verbally, though they are not successful always. In fact I would say except for a few times, they have been forced to shout their spells. But I have never seen Potter say his spells in anything more than a whisper." She finished.

There was a silence after this. This kind of wand work was seen very rarely. "But I suppose it is to be expected after all. The boy has defeated the evil Lord." Flitwick said.

All of them were a little baffled; Dumbledore and Snape the most. A little while later all the professors started to leave and only Snape, McGonagall and Dumbledore were left.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled madly. "Come now, Severus. Tell me about Harry." Dumbledore said, thinking Snape would sprout off about the blasted son of James Potter.

Snape did not respond at once. He looked vacantly at the wall right in front of him, shocking McGonagall who had been readily waiting with a sarcastic remark to hit Snape with and Dumbledore, who was expecting to be amused.

"I don't know. Potter seems to be an enigma, a puzzle I am unable to solve." He said. He looked at McGonagall. "His potions are perfect and he is well mannered, shockingly so. He had struck up a friendship of sorts with Malfoy and he has made Draco respect and like him. When Draco speaks to me, he curses Weasley but never talks about Potter unless I ask him directly and then he is very guarded in his comments. And until now he has not written a word to his parents about being friendly with Potter."

"How do you know that Severus?" McGonagall asked while Dumbledore was watching very interested in Snape's observations.

"Lucius asked me about Draco and he told me to tell Draco to act neutral towards Potter. I told him Draco was already doing so. On the first day I peeped into his mind." Both McGonagall and Dumbledore exclaimed angrily.

"Severus how could you?" asked Dumbledore.

"How dare you abuse a student's privacy like this?" shouted McGonagall.

"Minerva, I applied Legilimency only on the surface and I am allowed to do so in any suspicious circumstance. It is only the deep invasion of any mind that is illegal. What I am trying to say here is that there was no surface thoughts except what he was doing at the time, that was writing his name on an effortlessly brewed potion." Snape replied patiently and a little angrily. "You must realize it is suspicious, more so in fact, in the light of what you have been saying about his Transfiguration work. A boy who has been raised as a muggle and one who did not know he was a wizard until a month before starting Hogwarts has shown the work of a Master. I think I am justified."

Dumbledore was silent and McGonagall was shocked. What Snape was saying was very true. Harry was showing the work of a Master.

"Harry really had no other thoughts Severus?" Dumbledore asked him.

Snape nodded impatiently. "Yes Albus, you may peep and see. Potter at the time I peeped, was writing his name on the potion vial. And that is all there was in his mind. I could have delved deeper but at eleven years of age, your mind _is_ only surface thoughts and they should reflect so much more and be a lot more jumbled."

There was silence after this and Dumbledore and McGonagall thought about what Snape was saying.

"He has spent one month with Black and Lupin. And coming here, Potter has taken Malfoy's hand in friendship and he was and is so respectful to me it is alarming Albus. He still is very friendly with Draco even after he hexed Weasley. Now Draco has even started talking to Granger and Longbottom in a civil manner. Slytherin House has no altercation of any sort with Potter and I find it difficult to believe that Black and Lupin would have taught Potter to treat all the Houses as equal." Snape finished very softly his black eyes very disturbed.

There was once again only silence after this and Dumbledore spoke a little while later.

"Is Harry showing spells that belong to say third year or even second year?" he asked contemplatively.

Both professors shook their head and Dumbledore was relieved. "So Harry is showing his Mastery only in what he has been taught so far. That Severus, Minerva is not so bad. But I really have no answers to what Severus has said and he has raised very valid points. I will invite Sirius and Remus for lunch at Yule to the castle. Harry too, will accompany them, I hope. We may be able to get an idea of what makes one Harry Potter tick then. Until then, please watch him closely." Dumbledore stood up and the other two stood up and all of them went to their rooms, none of them very happy about the state of affairs concerning one Harry Potter.

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The next day was Halloween and Harry woke up with his mind and senses on high alert. Events had a way of happening even though Harry had changed so much. That had been proved by Harry becoming Gryffindor seeker. Today if things were to go according to schedule was the day the troll would appear.

Harry was distracted all day and he kept as close a watch as he could on Quirrell, and McGonagall, Snape and Dumbledore kept an equally close watch on Harry. Harry would not have known this but unfortunately for Dumbledore, his curiosity got in the way of ethics and he decided to peep as well.

Harry had his Occlumency on every time he entered the Great Hall or any classroom. He was more alert in his potions class. That afternoon Harry was in the Great Hall having lunch with his friends when Dumbledore peeped into his mind. Harry knew right away that someone was peeping. He concentrated on his food, his mind only full of lessons of the previous day and as the presence lingered Harry could discern the presence to be that of the Headmaster's; so Dumbledore could not resist either. Harry continued eating and a few minutes later he felt the Legilimency stop. Harry knew then that Dumbledore as well as Snape and if these two were involved then most likely McGonagall too were keeping an eye on him.

Harry continued to watch Quirrell the whole day and in fact he had set a mild trigger on the door of the DADA classroom and Quirrell's office so that he would know the moment the stuttering professor would leave the rooms. Harry was sitting in the common room when he felt the trigger for the office go off. A few minutes later Harry stretched yawing conspicuously and Hermione laughed.

"Feeling very tired Harry?"

"Hmm. May be I should sleep off the afternoon. I had a slightly restless night last night." Harry said stretching and yawning once again.

"You did look a bit off today. Kind of a bit high strung, compared to your attitude all of last week." Hermione told him, tilting her head to one side and looking at him.

"I know. I was feeling so happy all of last week and I really did not know why. Maybe I am kinda falling flat now after being so hyper all last week." Harry said laughing and everyone laughed with him.

Almost all the first years were there in the common room lazing around and spending their afternoon after a magnificent lunch, the second years had told them that dinner would be even better, and they were playing wizarding chess, exploding snap and in Hermione's case reading Hogwarts: A History one more time.

"Go and sleep Harry." Ron advised him. He was smiling and very happy because he was winning against a frustrated Seamus who was cursing Ron and his chess set making everyone laugh. This was his third straight loss and he was determined to win at least one game today.

Harry nodded yawing once again and stood up. "I think I'll take your advice Ron. I'll sleep off the afternoon and come down all ready for the Halloween feast tonight." Harry told them and laughing with the others and yawning Harry went to the dorm to sleep.

The moment he had the curtains around the bed, Harry spelled them to repel anyone to peep in. Harry placed another trigger charm on the curtains and the bed that he had left crumpled, so that if anyone did break the spells on the curtains for any reason whatever Harry would be alerted and he could flash into the bathrooms and come from there so that no one would be suspicious.

That completed, Harry removed his second wand from his trunk and cast the invisibility charm upon himself and transformed into his Phoenix form. He flashed to corridor near the DADA classroom. Transforming back Harry wasted no time except to stop for a minute and check if his invisibility spells had held and then placing his wand on his palm he whispered, "Point me Quirrell."

The wand pointed towards the Forbidden Forest and Harry removed the remaining trigger and transforming into a Phoenix once again, flashed to the edge of the Forbidden Forest just inside the School wards and waited.

Some time later an invisible Harry saw a very steady and confident Quirrell holding his wand high and leading a huge troll in the darkness straight into Hogwarts. Harry took out the second wand and held it in front of him and concentrated until he felt the magic flowing into his hands and wand and then, "_Spellumin Breakostos_." He hissed in Parseltongue breaking whatever the spell had been on the troll.

The troll had apparently been under the imperious. It blinked when the curse suddenly broke and swung his huge club at Quirrell. Harry reacted immediately and banished Quirrell who went and crashed into a tree and then casting a silencing charm on his shoes, ran forward.

The troll looked around but not able to see anyone lumbered swinging its huge arms threatening all around all the time walking towards the School. It would have passed Harry in a two steps, when Harry lifted both his wands and pointing one of them towards the troll's face and another towards its chest, hissed once again, "_Reducto_!"

The troll's face and chest were blown away and it fell flat on its half blown away face. Harry quickly made the troll invisible and enervated Quirrell. He woke up groaning and looking around cautiously. He could see no one. Harry waited to see what Quirrell would do when he heard Voldemort's voice.

"The troll has gone inside, you incompetent. Now go in and announce the troll during dinner." The incredibly cold voice hissed and Quirrell without a word started running towards the School to go to his office.

Harry cancelled the invisibility spell on the troll with a wave of his hand and using his wand, placed it under a non tracking spell that was password triggered, and removing all traces of his magical signature, changed into his Phoenix form, flashed to his bed, banished his second wand to his trunk, changed into his pyjamas and removing the repelling spells with a wave of his hand and slept.

He was woken up by Neville half an hour later. Harry wiped his eyes sleepily, "Time for dinner?"

"You have been asleep for hours. Come on." Neville laughed.

Harry was ready in five minutes and all of them went down talking and laughing for the Halloween feast.

_**End of Chapter – 7**_

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	8. Chapter 8

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 8**_

_**---------------**_

They were chatting and laughing, eating the magnificent feast that the School had provided, when Quirrell came running into the Great Hall clutching his chest and stammered out, "Troll in the dungeons." before he promptly fainted.

Dumbledore flicked his wand at once and the doors magically shut up and placing his wand to his neck he spoke in a calming tone. "All of you take your seats please and continue with your dinner. After dinner you will be escorted to your common rooms where you will stay until you are informed otherwise."

Harry and the others sat down and continued with their dinner discussing very hard about the troll and the possible ways it could have entered Hogwarts. "You know I thought Hogwarts was protected enough against such things, how did the troll get inside anyway?"

"No one knows." Fred answered from a few seats away. "But they are really dangerous things trolls. They have no brain, only a desire to do violence all the time and a pat from them will probably kill you."

Neville shuddered along with Ron and Hermione. Seamus was white. "I have seen one in my village you know. They are such awful things. They have a huge club almost our size and they keep swinging it and bringing down anything that stands in their way."

This time all of them shuddered and slowly they finished dinner and were escorted to their common rooms by their professors. No one went to sleep and the Gryffindor common room was packed, all of them waiting anxiously for an announcement that the troll had been dealt with. Harry sitting there with Hermione and Neville softly said the password to release the trigger and make the troll visible.

The call never came. Instead there was McGonagall, her face white and strained worrying Harry at once. He pushed down his feeling and let only the information about the troll and his mild anxiety play in his mind.

She had a big book with her and calling everyone to settle down she started taking register. Everyone in Gryffindor had been accounted for and with a huge relief on her face she turned to leave when the door opened and Dumbledore, Snape, Flitwick and Sprout came in.

"Everyone is here professor." McGonagall told him and Dumbledore swept his eyes around the common room taking in the anxious faces. Harry's face was just like his friends, curious and mildly scared. But Snape was watching only him.

"The troll was found killed." Dumbledore could go no further because everyone started clapping. He smiled though his eyes were very serious and he looked straight at Harry. "No one knows how it was killed and if any of you have any information," Snape had entered Harry's mind at that point and Dumbledore was till talking, "please get up and inform us."

Snape saw Harry's imagination of a troll with a club swinging and after Dumbledore's words the troll lying in a heap on the potions classroom? Snape scowled and stopped his Legilimency. The boy thought the troll was in his potions classroom. Then he frowned. The images had come perfectly along with Dumbledore's speech. But once again there was nothing else in the mind except his conversation about the troll at dinner. Not even the events of the morning.

"How was he killed professor?" asked one of the seventh year boys.

"Someone had cast a Reducto to its face and chest." All the boys shuddered as one.

The students remained silent and the professors went out. "Well Severus, Flitius, Pomona, Minerva did you notice anything from any of the students?"

All of them shook their heads and Snape very thoughtfully. Dumbledore looked sharply at him, but his thoughts were far away thinking of what he had seen inside the mind of Harry Potter.

"Severus?" pressed Dumbledore slowing down and gesturing the other professors to go on.

"I peeped again today Dumbledore. All I found was the memories of dinner and his imagination of the events as we spoke. That is very unnatural. At the very least I have yet to find someone who is capable of this type of a mind that has natural Occlumency tendencies." Snape paused for effect. "Not at this age, in fact not ever."

Dumbledore agreed silently. He did not comment though. Instead he asked Snape, "Why Severus do you think Harry had anything to do with the troll?"

Snape did not answer at once. "I don't know. But there is something about Potter I really cannot seem to put my hands upon. He is," Snape paused and searched for an appropriate word that would express his opinion but coming up with nothing he sighed, "too confident for a first year, do you not think so?"

"Why would you feel like that?" Dumbledore asked him curiously. They had reached the gargoyle that stood at the entrance to his office and Dumbledore muttered 'liquorice wands' and stepped on to the stairs with Snape following him.

"Not even Potter's father and Black who, Merlin knows came form families that would make them truly overbearing," and scowled when Dumbledore twinkled his eyes and huffed a bit angrily, thinking for a second about storming off but Snape was highly intrigued about Potter and he wanted to also understand Dumbledore's reactions to the findings of Boy-Who-Lived's mind, "not even they were this confident. Not even Lucius was, Dumbledore."

Dumbledore sobered at that. At a deeper level he knew what Snape was saying. He too had peeped once before and found Harry's mind blissfully and calmly empty. That was not the norm unless Harry was doing all this unconsciously to suppress his feelings and his childhood which made Dumbledore cringe as he remembered 'the cupboard beneath the stairs' on his Hogwarts letter.

Dumbledore had expected Snape to be frothing at the mouth seeing Harry. Snape had been doing just that before Harry came to Hogwarts. But since then he had treated Harry as sulkily as he did the other students and nothing more. He had not removed a single point of Harry until now just because he was Harry Potter. Snape was that much confused.

"Almost non-verbal spells, multiple Transfiguration on the very first day, so far only expertly brewed potions turned in – not even once has Potter handed a potion less than perfect, so much confidence, what would _you _think Dumbledore? Or is that not my position to ask?" Snape finished sarcastically.

Dumbledore stared at Snape for a long moment and then sighed. "I don't know Severus and of course I would never tell you to stop deciphering our young Mr. Potter. I peeped once today into his mind and I found it as you said. Nothing. He is an Occlumens Severus." Dumbledore observed very quietly shocking Snape out of his mind. He looked up his eyes wide and unguarded at the Headmaster who was staring equally sombrely at him.

Already the equations had begun to change. Dumbledore was baffled and Snape was not yelling about the Boy-Who-Lived and everything was different. In the past Snape had only bad things to say about Harry and was forever snubbed by Dumbledore. Here Snape was as thoughtful as Dumbledore if not even more so and they were working together.

The Dumbledore of the past would have chewed Snape for reading his mind and Snape certainly never told the Headmaster he had been reading thoughts straight off Harry's mind. Dumbledore would have been very scathing to him. This time Snape and Dumbledore were taking turns to peep into the mind of the Boy-Who-Lived and both did not like what they saw or rather what they did not see.

"What do you mean Dumbledore?" asked Snape in a strangled voice.

"He is an Occlumens Severus. No one can do what he does. Either he is a natural Occlumens and if that is the case then he is the first Occlumens that I have seen who can hide his feelings so well otherwise he may be possessed."

"What!" Snape shouted.

"Well how can someone control their mind like this? Tell me?" Dumbledore demanded highly agitated, something Snape had never seen him being. It was a novel experience and Snape was not sure he liked it. "Since I peeped into his mind I have been very disturbed and now with the Stone here I am very worried."

"You are afraid Potter may go for the Stone?" Snape asked him carefully.

In answer Dumbledore got up from his chair and started pacing the office. "You have peeped twice Severus and I have seen the inside of his mind once. All the three times without warning and all the times we peeped Harry did not expect it. May be we can excuse tonight because Minerva was already there and Harry would have been on his guard, but not earlier today and not at first when you cast Legilimency on him. Unless he has a permanent shield protecting his mind, like the way you or I do. That automatically means Harry is not a natural Occlumens and that means he knew of magic before he came here."

They were silent for a while, Dumbledore pacing the floor and Snape staring thoughtfully at the wall opposite him, thinking of the enigma that was Harry James Potter.

"Keep an eye on Quirrell will you?" Dumbledore asked him, not stopping his pacing and Snape slowly stood up and murmuring his excuses, left for the dungeons.

The next few weeks were full of Quidditch and Harry learnt the game all over again from Oliver Wood and took to the skies with the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. He was the youngest seeker in a century and he thoroughly enjoyed his practises and his flying time in the air.

The first match of the season was Gryffindor vs. Slytherin and Harry was much exited. Sirius and Remus had got him an excellent broom a Nimbus 2000 and they had wished him all the best and told him to push the Slytherin players' faces in dung. Harry did not know how he could achieve that but was willing to try and defeat Slytherin once again by catching the snitch.

Harry woke up that morning with a sense of anticipation and totally forgot that Quirrell would try and pull him off the broom and last time it had been Hermione who had pushed against him to reach Snape and set his robes on fire, thereby distracting him and stopping the bucking of the broomstick.

This time there would be none of that since the first years had still to meet Hagrid and the break in at Gringotts though discussed avidly was left right there and not pursued further. They had not the midnight duel with Malfoy and so they had not met Fluffy the three headed dog.

He wore his robes and taking his new broom proudly with him, went down to breakfast. There Harry ate very little breakfast and was surrounded by all the first years that were encouraging him along.

"Look Harry, search carefully for the snitch and get it and we can wipe it in the Slytherins and Malfoy's face completely." Ron was already giddy with imagining that scene in his mind.

Harry muttered something noncommittally. "Potter," a drawl sounded nearby and Harry looked up to see Malfoy hovering nearby a sardonic look on his pointy little face.

"Malfoy hi," Harry smiled and gestured him to sit down.

He raised his eyebrows in distaste and shook his head, though to give him credit he did not utter a word, "I only came to wish you all the best and don't cry when Slytherin wipe you off the earth."

Harry only grinned and nodded his head. "I will try not to cry." He replied mockingly and laughed when Malfoy grinned, truly grinned and not smirked.

"Shut it Malfoy, no one asked you?" Ron snarled.

Malfoy looked straight through Ron who was beginning to froth at the mouth and nodded to Harry, and rolling his eyes sauntered back to the Slytherin Table.

"Why do you even talk to him Harry? He is evil as all Slytherins are." Ron told him angrily.

Harry shrugged and looked a bit helpless. "He is funny Ron." He said inadequately and concentrated on his eating wishing Malfoy had not come over to wish him and Ron was not such a git.

"What? He is insulting you and you are calling him funny." Ron spluttered.

"Oh shut up Ron." Hermione said vexed with Ron's extreme anti Slytherin tendencies. "He said Slytherin would win. So what, he will say that won't he? He is a Slytherin after all."

"You shut up, you know-it-all." Ron snarled at her extremely aggravated.

"Ron pipe down." Harry said softly. "Don't talk like that to her. She voiced only her opinion. And she is right. As far as Draco is concerned he would naturally want Slytherin to win. He is not like us Gryffindors who want our team to win."

Ron went red. "So you are supporting a slimy Slytherin?"

Harry now thoroughly exasperated, "Do I look like I am supporting a slimy Slytherin? I am merely asking you not to be rude to Hermione who _is_ a Gryffindor."

Ron was in two minds. He could get up and walk away or even stay there and fight the losing battle with Harry. But he knew after that Harry would never speak to him. He liked Harry. So that decision was a bit difficult for him. And no one else would support him in this. Not even his brothers. So he looked very constipated for a few minutes and there was a tense silence while Ron pondered on the best way to bring back things to normal.

"Ronniekins if you don't apologize right now," Fred or was it George said,

"We will truss your pretty little mouth,"

"And make sure that you don't open it,"

"FOREVER!" Both shouted in unison, glaring at their younger brother before Fred or George continued harshly

"Harry's got to play a game and if,"

"He loses the snitch today," and left the statement hanging there.

Ron gulped and looked miserable. Harry sighed, "Ron you don't have to apologize to me." Ron looked up in disbelief at that statement and small amount of hope. "But you must to Hermione. I am more of a know-it-all than her and if you must really call anyone a know-it-all it should be me." Harry finished seriously glaring a little at Ron.

"'Am sorry Hermione." Ron mumbled and got up from there and ran outside.

Harry looked at the twins and shrugged in a kind of apology and helplessness. They understood perfectly and ginned. "Ickle Harrikins now put all the turbulent present behind you and concentrate on the great game of Quidditch." Fred told him.

Harry grinned back reluctantly and looked at Hermione. "Are you okay?" he asked softly getting up.

She nodded and smiled, "Go and beat the tar out of them Harry."

"And here I thought you did not care much for Quidditch." Harry teased her walking away from the Great Hall with all of them, looking and feeling terribly relaxed.

"Oh I don't." she retorted. "But," she continued her eyes slightly clouding with unhappiness, "everyone heard what Ron shouted and everyone saw the blasted Malfoy coming over to our table to talk to you. If you don't catch the snitch and win us the game, everyone will talk."

"Very true." Harry told her and all of them walked in a companionable and a slightly nervous silence. They reached the pitch and Harry and the twins went to join their team and Hermione and Neville went to the stands.

Harry and the twins went to the changing rooms and changed into their scarlet robes and went to stand near a highly tense Oliver Wood. He was gulping every minute and then was glaring at his team and then gulping again.

"We have the best team here today." He started abruptly. "We have to win this time. We had better. We have the best seeker, the best pair of beaters, excellent chasers and a decent keeper."

"No need to be modest Oliver and we know the rest of your speech by heart." Called out Fred understandingly, making Oliver scowl.

Harry grinned to himself. All this was just like last time. And he still did not think to remember what the game itself would bring.

They went out behind a nervous and hopeful Oliver and lined up on the pitch to encouraging screams from the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and half of Ravenclaw stands. The Slytherins booed and shouted at the Gryffindors.

Harry took to the air and felt the wind whipping his hair and was swaying on the broom with happiness. He heard Lee Johnson comment with McGonagall restraining him now and then and flew lazily as both Gryffindor and Slytherin posted goals.

At that time a bludger came narrowly just missing Harry as Harry swerved and flew a bit higher. The bludger came at him once again and at that time Harry's broom started to buckle and threw him off. Harry went up into the air and came down and managed to catch the broom with one hand. The bludger that came at Harry once again hit Harry straight on his stomach and Harry lost the control and went spiralling down from more than a hundred feet in the air.

Normally Harry would have used his or even his wand to slow himself down but being hit by the bludger very hard made Harry lose consciousness and Harry fell like a rock not hearing the panicked screams from the crowds or knowing that Hermione and Neville had tears running from their faces and had started running down from the stands to try and catch a fast falling Harry.

Nor was Harry aware that his team mates were screaming with fear and were now trying to catch him but Harry was a dead weight and Fred and George and Oliver who came whistling through the air to try and catch Harry all failed and Fred was dangerously hanging by his hand and had to be rescued by his twin for leaning too far.

Twenty feet from the ground Harry started slowing and he hit the ground at a far slower rate than he would have had he crashed at the original speed he had been falling.

------------------

Snape had been asked to keep an eye on Quirrell by Dumbledore and Snape seeing Quirrell looking frequently at Harry and focus on him all the time after the Gryffindors had taken to the air had made Snape suspicious and he had kept one eye on him. A while into the game he had suddenly seen Quirrell start muttering something inaudibly as if he was singing to himself; but his eyes had been strangely fixed at something high in the air. Snape had turned around to see Potter's broom buckle and he had at once flicked his wand and had started chanting the counter to the buckling broom.

But barely a second later a bludger had hit Potter at a tremendous speed and Harry had let go of the hand catching the broom and had started the fast and free fall to the ground. Snape glanced at Quirrell who was wearing a self satisfied expression on his face and had immediately turned around and held his wand pointing it at Harry and at the same time making sure that Quirrell would not be able to see his actions by casting a disillusionment charm on his hand and had cast the slowing charm usually used to stop falling objects.

By the time Snape had cast the slow down spell at Harry, Harry was only about twenty feet from the ground. So he still hit the ground with some force and crumpled onto the ground. Snape lifted the spell, just in time to see Hagrid run to Harry and pick him up with that Granger girl and Longbottom openly crying and Weasley looking very white running along with Hagrid, who was almost running to the infirmary.

Snape cast a notice-me-not charm on himself and turned to Quirrell. He was standing and stretching himself to look at the fallen boy. He had a look of satisfaction on his face that was very disturbing for someone witnessing a rather serious accident that may have been deliberately caused. Snape looked at him and removing the notice-me-not charm upon himself, when he saw Quirrell looking around and briskly started walking away towards the direction of his dungeons as if he was not bothered about the Boy-Who-Lived, his robes billowing behind him.

He went to his office and using the floo reached the Headmaster's office and waited in the empty room. It was more than an hour that a very worried Dumbledore came inside and seeing Snape smiled tiredly and went around and sat down in his chair.

"How is the boy?" Snape asked him.

"Harry is not fine Severus." Dumbledore replied sombrely. "He has crushed his ribs and a portion of his lungs is also damaged. He has cracked his skull and also has multiple fractures on his arms and legs. Did you see what happened?"

Snape told him and Dumbledore closed his eyes and leaned back. "There is so much darkness in Quirrell, Severus." He told Snape with his eyes still closed. "I am afraid his mind has been somehow manipulated by Voldemort"

"What!" Snape shouted. "What are you saying Dumbledore?" he asked the Headmaster who had still not opened his eyes.

"I told you Severus, did I not that Voldemort would return. I am afraid with Harry's entrance into the Wizarding World and into Hogwarts had tempted Voldemort to continue from where he had been forced to leave ten years ago. I am afraid Quirrell is acting somehow under Voldemort's order's and that was why I had told you to keep an eye on him." Dumbledore opened his eyes now and stared deeply at a very frightened and uncomfortable Snape. "It paid off today. Because of your prompt action Harry was saved from a sure death, thank you."

Snape flushed uncomfortably. "There is no need to thank me Dumbledore. I would have done this for any student." He sneered and got up. "If that is all?" Dumbledore looked at the thin, ungainly man and slowly nodded his head.

Snape turned on his feet and walked to the floo and throwing a pinch of floo powder into the fire, flooed into his office and went to his chair and slumped into it. The Dark Lord was back! Merlin! He would have to go back and spy for the Order. It was so scary and frightening. The killings would start all over again and he Severus would be burning from both ends to the middle, where he would just burst, he knew.

But he could not keep away; would not. That would be his redemption, his personal salvation for the atrocities he had committed as an enthusiastic death eater and for causing the death of Lily. Her child would be hounded even more than he, Snape would be and what a burden he had handed on a platter to her child. It was all because of him, Snape thought bitterly, summoning a bottle of strong Firewhisky and a glass, absentmindedly pouring himself a shot and sipping the fiery liquid.

It was all because of him and his prejudices against people like his father that hurt Lily and made an orphan of her boy who made him clench with guilt inside every time he looked at her eyes; every time he looked at Potter. Snape stayed there drinking and brooding for a long time and did not appear for lunch or dinner. At around ten in the night, he took a hangover potion that he had sensibly summoned to him when he had started drinking in earnest and feeling steadier and better, his awful headache reduced to a dull throbbing at the back of his mind, Snape stood up deciding to go over to the infirmary to see the state of the Boy-Who-Lived.

He swayed on his feet and cursing softly, he snapped his fingers.

"Yes Master Snape? What may Tippy do for yous?" the elf bowed and asked him.

"Bring me some dinner." He replied curtly, sitting down again.

In a minute there was hot steaming dinner and Snape ate quickly and stood up feeling much better and able to think clearer. He paced his room for a long time before he turned and walked out. It was almost two in the morning and Snape had been brooding over everything the whole of yesterday.

He cast a disillusion charm on himself and walked out, casting a cleaning charm on his robes that reeked of Firewhisky. He walked up to the infirmary, thinking about the buckling broom, the way the bludger had hit Potter and the way he had fallen. He would survive, but it had been a very close thing. Had he not acted so quickly, Snape knew this time they would have been in mourning for the Boy-Who-Lived. He shuddered a little and slowed down when he reached the floor where the infirmary was.

He walked into the infirmary and saw that the boy was sleeping. He flicked his wand and found that his bed was completely warded. So Dumbledore had not taken any chances. Snape walked up to the edge of the wards and peeped. Potter was sleeping and his breathing sounded very shallow. Snape stayed there for a few minutes staring at the Boy-Who-Lived and was about to leave when he saw Harry's wand on the small table. He sneered. How foolish! Dumbledore had not placed the boy's wand inside of the wards. Really he was losing his touch Snape though with a sneer. He went close to the wand and slowly picked it up.

He almost dropped it. It was so powerful and it was vibrating warningly in his hands. On an impulse, he cast the priori incantatem on the wand, wanting to know the type of spells the boy wonder had been casting. The wand still vibrating started off with the spells they had been learning and slowly the spells kept coming, going backwards in order of the casting.

Snape watched with a desultory interest when the many first year spells came out and was about to cancel the spell and keep the wand back, when suddenly, the wand showed _Reducto, an invisibility charm_ and an _enervate and a non-tracking spell._ Then the _priori incantatem_ continued with all the harmless spells they had been taught in School and some harmless charms including _Accio,_ the banishing charm, the cleaning charms and the like before it finally stopped.

Harry had used his second wand for all of his undercover activities, but one _Reducto_ and the _invisibility charm_ and the _enervate_ he had cast from his first wand because he had used his first wand in his wand hand and the other wand in his left before casting the _Reducto_ at the troll. Then forgetting, in his anxiety to be away safely, Harry had cast the _invisibility charm_ on the troll and the _enervate_ on Quirrell and followed it by the _non tracking spell_ before tucking his wands into his robes and flashing away.

Snape stared at the wand and re cast the priori incantatem once again. The spells came in the same order once again and Snape's eyes narrowed impossibly. He cast the _priori incantatem_ for a third time and seeing the spells disbelievingly and then he looked long and hard at Harry before swirling on his feet and leaving the room.

_**End of Chapter – 8**_

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	9. Chapter 9

_**Thank you, all of you who have read the story so far and to each once of you who have taken the time to post a review. Thank you Purple am5**_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 9**_

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It took Harry almost a week to open his eyes and then another fifteen days to sit up in bed. Another week rolled by before he was discharged from the infirmary. They were very close to the Midwinter holidays and Harry had hardly three days before School closed for Yule. Sirius and Remus had been daily visitors to the castle, visiting Harry who had been in a healing sleep and then only able to open his eyes and speak a few words to a very worried Sirius and Remus and then go off to sleep once again.

Sirius and Remus came early in the morning and did not leave until late at night. They simply sat there by Harry's bedside willing him to wake up and get better. Sirius especially was terrified he might lose Harry, his last link to James, the brother he was not born with and also his last link with sanity. Remus was worried about both Harry and Sirius, who was taking Harry's accident as catastrophic.

Remus was very much afraid Sirius might collapse with the strain and the stress he was taking. But after a week when Sirius had almost not eaten or washed and close to collapsing that Harry opened his eyes.

"Harry?" Sirius's voice sounded raspy with emotion.

"Hurts Sirius." Harry had muttered groggily, sipped some water and had gone back to sleep. His potions were given intravenously and Harry had slept for another two days before waking up once more. This time he was more coherent and was almost awake for half an hour and also took some three potions before slipping back to sleep.

Sirius heaved a sigh of relief before he accepted a sleeping potion from Pomfrey and crashed on the bed next to Harry's. Remus took the one next to Sirius. That pattern followed until Harry was awake for longer periods and then after three weeks after his fall, sat up in bed. That day there was a celebration of sorts in the infirmary. Sirius smuggled in Hermione and Neville and Ron, Dean and Seamus also insisted on coming along to see Harry. Ron especially wanted to apologize to Harry.

He had been feeling terrible inside, thinking that Harry had lost concentration because of the fight with him and it was slowly killing him. He had lost a lot of weight and had been too scared to say anything to anybody else.

He had become pale when he saw how thin and pale Harry was and how much he had suffered; the hot headed Gryffindor had blurted his apologies to Harry just reining in his tears.

"Merlin Harry! I am so sorry. It was all my fault." Ron had spoken through gritted teeth, trying to reign in his emotions.

Harry had blinked. "What! You hexed my broomstick?" he asked unable to believe what Ron was sprouting off. Everyone else was also staring at Ron in some kind of a horrified fascination, while Ron grew more miserable and pale, making his hair stand out even more vividly.

"No," he had managed to gasp out loud, "Of course I didn't. But it was because of my stupid argument that you must have lost your concentration and fallen down. I am so sorry Harry. You have been so ill." Ron's voice slowed down to a whisper and when he finished, his words could hardly be heard.

Harry had stared at Ron and shook his head in amazement and shock. How much had Ron beat himself up for him, Harry falling down? Harry shook his head and grinned at his first friend of his other life. "Hey Ron come here." Harry said softly. When Ron came a bit closer Harry caught hold of his hand and gave him a one armed awkward hug.

"I was flying for almost half an hour high in the skies before I was thrown off it Ron. Sirius here told me that some one had used a dark spell to do it. And I am sure it was not you or any of us here."

The relief on Ron's face at that was comical. Dumbledore had announced that Harry had been thrown off his broom suggesting a bad broom more than anything else and until that time Ron had thought that it was because of him that Harry had lost concentration. He had been afraid to say anything to his brothers for fear they would strangle him to death and he had been waiting for Harry to have visitors so that he could come and apologize.

After that all of them sat around and chatted for a while. Dumbledore had not called Sirius and Remus to talk about Harry because they had been very worried about the accident. Dumbledore decided to wait until Harry was fine and then talk to them. He did not think he would get anything coherent from them at this time.

After Harry was discharged from the infirmary, he spent the few days he was up and about catching up with all that he missed. Harry noticed that Snape was completely avoiding him, he had stopped staring every now and then at Harry like he used to and in fact he was acting as if there was no Harry Potter.

Harry wondered about it but he was too caught up with being with Hermione and Neville and telling Ron for the hundredth time about how he had been struck by the bludger and had lost consciousness and so did not know who cast the spell on his broom. Draco had not visited Harry in the infirmary and while he had looked long and hard at Harry when Harry joined the land of the living, he did not come up to the Gryffindor table or try and meet Harry to speak to him. Harry wondered about that too, but shrugged it off because he had too much to catching up to do.

There was a huge Gryffindor party the day Harry came back to his dorm and Harry learned that the game had been declared abandoned and would be rescheduled for later. Oliver sought him out and was relieved when he found Harry would be fit to play seeker for their next game against Ravenclaw.

Dumbledore had had to pacify a livid Sirius and Remus who were threatening to remove Harry from Hogwarts and home School him, if Hogwarts could not keep her students safe. While being struck by a bludger was acceptable in a game of Quidditch, especially when with the slimy Slytherins, having a dark spell on your broom to deliberately throw you off with intention to kill was not and Sirius was justifiably angry, making Harry feel very warm inside once again that here was someone to be angry on his behalf. The last time he had had no one.

Harry went to Grimmauld Place for the holidays, inviting Hermione, Neville and Ron and the twins for Midwinter. He spent one week of his holidays recuperating; he still became tired very easily. Hermione, Neville, Ron and the twins had accepted Harry's invitation and Sirius had apparated to Hermione's home and activated her floo system. He gave the secret of Grimmauld Place to Hermione, Ron, Neville and the twins and also told them he would activate the floo in Grimmauld Place by afternoon on Midwinter day.

Harry had got a Chudley Cannons robe for Ron, a box of muggle pranks for the twins, a book on Herbology for Neville and a book on magical culture for Hermione. He had one of that himself and he read that conspicuously all that week. In fact Harry used his time recuperating by reading widely inviting anxious and humorously sarcastic comments from Sirius who wondered how Harry could be James's son and his Godson. Then he would slap a hand to head and exclaim that Harry had taken after Lily and all of them would laugh.

Every time Harry laughed or even widely grinned and rolled his eyes at Sirius's antics, Sirius's eyes would light up and his whole frame would brighten up and he would say something sillier. He delighted in amusing and caring for Harry and Harry revelled in the attention from an exuberant Sirius and a calmer Remus.

Sirius had almost become normal in the months Harry had been away at Hogwarts and he was looking very smart and young, more so than last time. This time he had been declared innocent before he had been released and he was no longer a fugitive from justice and it showed. Remus was looking very young too and Sirius had made him his own personal secretary to help him handle the businesses of the Black family and had him living in Grimmauld Place all the time. Sirius and Remus were also exploring avenues of making the wolfsbane cheaper so that it would be available to more werewolves, especially small children who had been bitten, to ensure a better standard of living for them.

Ron, Hermione, Neville and the twins came in the afternoon looking slightly awed at the huge house that could not be seen. Grimmauld Place it self had undergone a massive transformation. All the dark objects had been removed and destroyed and all those that refused to be destroyed were taken away from their original places and stored in the attic, which itself had been cleaned and heavily warded.

The walls were now bright and windows clean. The elf heads had gone along with the dark artefacts. Only the portraits remained. They could not be removed at all.

Harry received them and they had a fun time after the initial shock of being yelled by Mrs. Black whose curtains opened after Neville tripped and fell with a loud shout. All of them opened their presents and had a huge high tea and Harry was sure that no one would be able to eat that day apart from Ron, who was always ready for a meal this time too.

For Sirius and Remus Harry had created the four Marauders on a largish square of wood and a full moon hanging high. He had approached McGonagall in the three days he had been out of the infirmary to ask her help to create it. She had agreed very happily to help him in his ambitious project and Harry had a tough time trying to make the Transfiguration slightly imperfect and taking many tries to get it instead of simply flicking his wand and creating it.

The stag, grim and the werewolf ran happily through the woods and they were at intervals chewing the rat and then letting it go, only to be attacked all over again.

When Harry had handed it to them, Sirius had become very still and blinked his eyes furiously to clear it and Remus had looked in joy when the werewolf chewed and spit the rat only for it to be stamped upon by the stag's hoofs.

"McGonagall helped me with it." Harry had told them shyly and Sirius and Remus who were holding it went carefully to the corner of the room where Remus conjured up a huge table and they placed it there adding lights around it to attract attention of everyone who would come into that room.

After placing the board carefully, Sirius and Remus crushed Harry. "This is the best gift we have ever received, haven't we Moony?"

Remus nodded beaming at Harry and ruffling his hair. "Of course Padfoot. This is the very best. I love the way the Wormtail gets his dues from Messer's. Prongs, Padfoot and Moony. Brilliant Harry. You are the best."

The twins had been attracted by Harry's gift and their eyes opened wide when they saw the words on the side "Messer's Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs." They whispered hastily to each other and then came quickly to Harry.

"Harry, who are they?" Fred had asked urgently gesturing towards the joyous animals running around.

"Prongs is my dad, Sirius is Padfoot and Remus is Moony and Pettigrew was Wormtail. Why?" Harry had asked seemingly bewildered and the twins much to his amusement had gone and fallen at the feet of very bemused Sirius and Remus.

"Hail to the great Marauder's.

"It is indeed a day of joy to behold one of your idols in front of you."

"Hail to Moony."

"Hail to Padfoot."

"STOP! What are you two doing?" Sirius bellowed totally confused when the twins went on.

"Oh Lord and Master of pranks,"

"We found the Marauder's Map,"

"Last year when in detention,"

"With Filch, and today,"

"To realise we are actually,"

"In the hallowed presence,"

"Stop! Stop!" Sirius was laughing helplessly along with Remus. And then the explanations of how they had found the Marauder's Map came out and Sirius and Remus promised to make one for Harry.

"Wait!" Hermione said, her eyes wide, "does that mean Mr. Lupin is a werewolf?"

There was only silence after that hushed question and nobody said anything apart from a terrified squeak from Neville and a backing away from Ron that made Harry very irritated.

"Yeah!" he said into the deafening silence. "In fact I saw him during full moon and with the help of the wolfsbane a potion he takes, Remus is perfectly alright. If any of you cannot accept it, then I think we will part as good friends' right here."

Sirius and Remus gaped at Harry. Instead of pacifying them and explaining to them that a werewolf was not dangerous except during the full moon Harry was issuing ultimatums. Remus felt very warm inside as he brushed his glistening eyes carelessly.

The twins shrugged. "We knew the moment we saw that thing. When you told me that Moony is Remus, well," Fred shrugged and fell silent.

"Makes no difference mate." George said. Fred nodded, his thoughts already on how he could milk these two for all kinds of pranks and not really caring for Remus's werewolf status.

Harry beamed at them and they went to Remus and dragged him off to a corner to discuss pranks with him. "I really don't mind Harry." Hermione said softly and Neville and Ron nodded their heads, their eyes full of fear.

"So we are fine?" Harry asked his raising his eyebrows in silent enquiry, looking at all of them and when they nodded, he smiled and clapped his hands calling for attention. "Okay folks, may I now suggest a game?" when everyone had gathered around him.

"What is it oh son of Prongs?" Fred asked him bowing deeply to him. Sirius laughed, delighted by this show of respect for their pranks and simply revelled in it.

"I propose a prank war now. Let us divide into four groups and attack each other. Gred and Forge you are one unit, we four are one and Sirius and Remus operate on their own." Harry said, giggling loudly when he saw the eager faces and it was not Hermione, Ron, Neville or he.

"Fantastic Harry! That is what we will do. And none of us will reverse the pranks and at the end of one hour we will see how many of us got each other. Now we will take fifteen minutes to plan and then I will sound a whistle, then the game is on." Sirius told all of them and everyone scrambled to think for good ideas to prank.

Harry led his group to his room and they planned. Fifteen minutes later the whistle sounded and the war started.

An hour later a previously timed whistle sounded and all of them gathered in drawing room to see who had been pranked the most. Harry was completely bald and had a beard that was plaited with bright ribbons at the end, and added to that he had two arms sprouting from his stomach and back hanging down very unattractively.

Fred had become an elf complete with tennis ball eyes and big floppy ears. He was holding his robes and tripping over them at every step. George had some kind of scales all over his body that were hissing and spitting on their own from the many mouths they seemed to have and his head was in green dreadlocks. He was grinning and howled with laughter when he saw Harry's hands.

"The hands are good aren't they?" he said laying claim to his artistry and Harry laughed along with him.

"How do you like green? You look good in this though; green hair with dreadlocks." Harry told him proudly and Sirius and Remus who had come in agreed completely.

Sirius had his face turned into a monkey and his arms had been lengthened and were almost touching his toes. Harry and the twins screamed in laughter at both Sirius and Remus. Remus who had done this partial Transfiguration of Sirius pumped his triumphant fist into the air. Remus was the least affected; his robes were flashing all colours of the rainbow and had spaghetti straps for his robes that showed off his shoulders and a lot of chest; the neckline of the spaghetti top was very, very low and everyone had catcalled and when he had walked into the room.

Hermione, Ron and Neville who had hidden in various rooms after the first prank played on them came in sheepishly and stopped at the entrance and stared at the five inside. Then Ron who had blonde wavy hair and purple skin that made him look very ugly, rolled on the ground with laughter.

Hermione giggled, slightly horrified at the various additions all of them were having. She had the Dumbledore hair and beard only her hair was white, long and bushy as was her beard, refusing to settle down.

Neville had the hopping jinx on him and his whole body was a nice frog green and he was hopping from one place to another. He had looked at the others with wide eyes and then had started giggling and violently hopping all around the room, making everyone laugh.

All of them decided they had a great time and the twins were sorry to see themselves back to normal. "We couldn't even get one thing on you guys." Fred said enviously looking at Sirius and Remus, "But let the next war come, I shall avenge this rectify this defeat and restore the name and glory to the Weasley family." He finished striking a pose and looking snootily at everyone.

All of them laughed a lot that afternoon and after a round of hot chocolate and cookies, everyone left for their homes, feeling they had had a great time. Harry was almost asleep as he waved them goodbye and Sirius noticing that lifted Harry into his arms, making him squeal and took him upstairs to his bed room. There Sirius flicked his wand and changed Harry's robes into his night clothes and gave another wave of his wand to clean Harry's teeth. Harry slept the moment his head touched his pillow.

The next day all of them woke up very late and in Harry's case a little tired and dull. Sirius, seeing Harry's demeanour stopped all talk of yesterday he had been chortling with Remus and silently placed his breakfast before him. Once Harry had cleaned his plate, Sirius made him lie down on the comfortable sofa in the drawing room and read. He and Remus joined Harry too and they sat there Sirius reading The Daily Prophet, Remus one of Harry's books on defence he had wanted to read for a long time and Harry who was looking through his Self Updating Book of Spells.

In the afternoon, just as Harry was beginning to doze off, a brown School owl came to Grimmauld Place and dropped a letter on Sirius before flying to the window sill. The barn owl did not leave indicating that it was waiting for a response.

"Who is it from?" Harry asked perking up a little.

"Looks like it's from someone at Hogwarts." Sirius mumbled opening the letter and Harry frowned. Why would anyone send a letter to Sirius from _Hogwarts_? He looked at Sirius who had read the letter and was looking very astonished. He cleared his throat and read it aloud.

"_Dear Sirius,_

_I hope you have recovered from your unfortunate stay in Azkaban. I realize I have not seen you since the day you left here to go to your home. I would like to invite you, Remus and young Harry for dinner with myself and the other professors at Hogwarts tonight. If you are in agreement kindly send your acceptance with the School owl._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore."_

Sirius finished the short letter and looked up confusion in his face. "Why?" he asked.

Harry and Remus had no answers, though Harry frowned a little more inside while maintaining a perplexed expression on the outside. Why was Dumbledore inviting Sirius, Remus and him to Hogwarts for dinner with the staff? Was he suspicious because of Harry's proficiency or surprised that Harry was a topper in his class? He had made sure that he was a normal brilliant. The only thing Dumbledore could be suspicious was about his Occlumency skills, but even that could be explained as natural because Harry had subconsciously wanted to bury all those feelings inside of him.

Harry looked at Sirius who was looking at him and seeing the small frown on Harry's face smiled. "You need not come if you don't want to." He said and Harry contemplated that statement. He need not go but if they did discuss anything Harry would not know about it. But then, Dumbledore was capable of sending Harry away to discuss whatever he wanted with Sirius.

He shook his head and smiled a little at Sirius. "You decide. I don't mind either way so long as we get a fab dinner there." Sirius laughed at the childish answer and scribbled a note to Dumbledore and sent it off with the owl.

"Are you sure you are up to going?" Remus asked him a little while later. "You still look a bit tired Harry."

Harry nodded. "I do feel a bit tired but it will only be dinner and back. So no problem Remus. Yesterday was so much fun wasn't it. But it was a bit tiring. I should be alright tomorrow."

"So much fun." Sirius grinned at the memory and that started off long discussions about the pranks they played when they were young. Harry listened having heard most of it from their portraits, a long time ago, but still enjoying their nostalgia and laughing along with them.

Harry, Sirius and Remus had written each other almost everyday and once again Harry was struck by how patient Sirius was. Mrs. Weasley was wrong the last time, Harry thought. Sirius never looked upon him as James, only as James's son and he cared for Harry in a way that touched Harry to the bottom of his heart.

Harry had told him all about the professors in his letters and also about his classmates and about how he had tackled Malfoy; that account brought a lot of appreciation from Sirius who had laughed himself silly, according to Remus. Harry had grumbled that the Slytherins were lucky because Snape was partial to them and McGonagall treated them like Slytherins. Sirius had been very sympathetic and promised Harry that he could have his revenge on McGonagall by pranking her and had sent a whole lot of ideas. Harry had laughed over them, but had not acted upon it, mainly because he was still establishing himself in the School the way he wanted to.

Sirius had been very indignant about Snape questioning about OWL and NEWT level potions to Harry and he was very proud Harry had managed to answer and shocked that Snape had not abused Harry at all. Sirius had thought Snape was scared of him and Remus but sounded doubtful and warned darkly that the great git was up to no good and it would be better for Harry to always be on his guard. Harry agreed with that one. It was always better to be on his guard with Snape. Always.

Now Sirius, Remus and Harry left for Hogwarts through the floo and Sirius and Remus landed gracefully, while Harry landed on his bottom, scowling at their laughter. They had landed in the Headmaster's office and Harry looked around curiously.

"Hello Sirius. You are looking well. And you too Remus and Harry, you are looking a lot better than when you left." Dumbledore told them, smiling at Harry.

Sirius frowned. "Have you any news about who it was that sabotaged Harry's broom?" Dumbledore shook his head at Sirius. "No we do not know Sirius but I have tightened the wards." and smiled at Harry who was watching him very intently too. Harry's face showed a mild disappointment and a slight fear?

Dumbledore had invited Harry as a test. If Harry had not come he would have taken it as yet another thing against him, but Harry had come. So maybe this Occlumency was a natural thing. Now he looked at Harry who was seemingly contemplating and Dumbledore peeped again.

He saw Harry's thoughts and saw his happy thoughts of Grimmauld Place and the prank war they had played yesterday and his current thoughts of who could have sabotaged his broom. The suspects seemed to range from Snape who seemed prime candidate to Dumbledore himself whom Harry thoughts at the time seemed to say, was hiding his violence underneath his benign nature. Harry was wondering whether Dumbledore and Voldemort were actually one, with McGonagall and Snape being his assistants when Dumbledore drew back astounded at the imagination of this boy and biting his cheeks to stop howling with laughing.

Harry was frowning slightly and Dumbledore actually grinned at the boy. "Er, Harry do you read a lot of story books?" he asked.

Harry nodded. "Yes sir. I read a lot of them and I have watched a few crime serials on the T.V. sometimes."

"Ah!" said Dumbledore smiling. "Come on, the others are waiting for us at the Great Hall."

All of them stood up to leave when Fawkes suddenly trilled and with a magnificent flap of his wings flew over to Harry and sat on his shoulder shocking the other three, especially Dumbledore, who blinked and then beamed. This was confirmation Harry was a fine boy and he was not dark. Dumbledore never felt so relieved.

Suddenly Fawkes trilled again and flew up and let two red and golden feathers fall on Harry, who caught them totally gob smacked. Then Fawkes flew once more to Harry's shoulder and stayed there.

"Wow! Harry. Fawkes has just gifted you with a feather for your wand." Sirius told him awed. Harry was completely shocked. Once again fate was intervening and giving Harry the feathers for his wands. Did that mean Fawkes knew he had two wands? Harry was very confused and slightly alarmed. Schooling his expression and thankful that Dumbledore did not peep then, when his thoughts were so chaotic, Harry turned to Sirius.

"How do I do this Sirius? Should I go to the wand shop again? Wait! I have a better idea. I will ask the Self Updating Book of Spells and then do as it says." Harry nodded to himself and Sirius who nodded back again.

"I never asked you Harry. What is your wand core?" Remus asked him.

Here it comes Harry thought and grinned to himself while maintaining a perplexed front. "There were so many things Remus. There was some blood, some Phoenix feather and tears, some snake venom and some blood of everything and some stag tail hair. Now I have two of Fawkes, you said Sirius?" Harry asked him and when Sirius nodded dumbly, Harry continued, "Fawkes's feathers." He finished sounding extremely satisfied, while the three adults were gaping at him. Well, Sirius and Remus were gaping and Dumbledore was staring inscrutably at Harry, but with Fawkes on his shoulders he could not see Harry's face fully.

They walked quietly down to the Great Hall, Sirius and Remus determined to question Harry once they got home and Dumbledore determined to do that right now, here at Hogwarts.

All the professors were there and Harry sighed inside when he saw Snape and Sirius scowling at each other, right from the door where they had obviously spotted each other. Then Snape looked at Remus and his lips curled and then his eyes met Harry's. Snape's face closed off and he turned away. Harry frowned at that, but before he could decipher the look they were at the table and Harry was seated between Dumbledore and Snape; McGonagall, next to Snape and next to her were Sirius and Remus. There was another table set for all the other professors. That meant Dumbledore wanted McGonagall and Snape to watch him and they had suspicions of their own about him.

"Hello Potter, how are you now?" McGonagall asked him, Sirius was still scowling at Snape and Snape was bending down at his plate. Fawkes was now at the back of Harry's chair and was trilling very softly.

"Fine professor, thank you." Harry replied politely, still thinking about Snape.

"Fawkes usually does not come down to the Great Hall Albus, does he?" McGonagall asked him curiously a question in her voice.

Albus smiled. "He has taken an exceptional liking to Harry here, Minerva." Lowering his voice he added, "He has given Harry two feathers for his wand."

Snape looked up at that scowling heavily at Harry and then at Fawkes. "What is your wand core?" he asked Harry abruptly. Sirius scowled and was about to tell Snape what he could do with his question when Harry replied.

"Blood, Phoenix feather, tears, tail hair, snake venom and now Fawkes's feathers. I am going to ask the Self Updating Book of Spells and fix it to my wand sir." Harry replied proudly.

"That is the second time I have heard that name Harry. What book is it?" Dumbledore asked him with a small frown.

"That is what the name says sir. I found it in a shop in Knockturn Alley and Remus and I tried everything to work the book and finally a drop of my blood did the trick. That book was owned by Ignotus Peverell and it really is the Self Updating Book of Spells sir." Dumbledore stared completely shaken and so did Snape. Harry looked normal.

"What does that book do Harry?" Dumbledore asked him and at the same time Snape and McGonagall to whom the name did not mean anything much asked, "Knockturn Alley?"

Harry blushed. "Yes professors. I did not know I should not have gone into Knockturn Alley, since I went shopping alone. It was dark but the book store and wand shop was great."

"You got your wand at Knockturn Alley?" this time there were many voices, Sirius, Remus, Dumbledore and McGonagall. Snape was oddly quiet. Remus explained how Harry had gone shopping, glazing over the Dursleys, but Dumbledore understood in between the sentences anyway and so did McGonagall and by the way she was glaring at Dumbledore, he was going to get an earful of it later on. Snape only sneered but still was very quiet.

"May I see that book Harry?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

"I don't have it with me now sir. May I show you when I come back to School?" Dumbledore nodded, but Harry could see that he had thrown Dumbledore for a six. Harry wanted all of this type of information out in the open so that no one would think of delving into other things that would be far more dangerous for them to know and for him to reveal.

"Yes Harry." Dumbledore said and turned the topic away from Harry and Harry's purchases and they spent a good hour chatting and then seeing Harry yawing not so discreetly, Sirius and Remus took leave and flooed back to Grimmauld Place. Sirius turned to Harry and asked in him great detail about his trip to Knockturn Alley and Harry answered as best as he could.

Before Harry and the other two left Dumbledore's office, Dumbledore handed him a brown parcel tied up in string. "This was left in my care by your father Harry. Use it well." Harry's eyes shone and he opened the parcel and took out the invisibility cloak.

"James's invisibility cloak. Yes!" Sirius shouted and punched the air, and taught there on the spot how to use the cloak to Harry. After Harry tried being invisible completely and then showing only his head and hiding his body and Sirius trying a few tricks too, all of them left for Grimmauld Place. The moment they stepped in Sirius turned to Harry and asked in him great detail about his trip to Knockturn Alley and Harry answered as best as he could.

"I chose the wand and everything by closing my eye and the wood and stuff felt so right in my hands Sirius. I got a lot of red, gold and green sparks from it when I waved it first. It was thrilling. But with the Self Updating Book of Spells that Remus and I were checking out, I completely forgot about this. I am sorry Sirius." Sirius was finally satisfied and only then allowed Harry to go to bed.

Before Harry went to bed, he begged Sirius to allow him to try to place Fawkes's feather into his wand. "Please say we can try with the help of the Self Updating Book of Spells here. Please. Please."

Sirius laughed and nodded. Harry immediately ran to get his book and he wrote as Sirius dictated the question and soon Sirius followed the instructions of the book and soon they had Phoenix feather fixed into Harry's wand.

"Give it a twirl Harry." Sirius told him. Harry lifted his wand that felt so complete in his hand and swirled it high above his head. A riot of colours burst out of the wand and all three of them watched awed by the various colours that mingled with each other and lit up the whole room.

_**End of Chapter – 9**_

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	10. Chapter 10

_**Thank you everyone of you who has read this story and to every one of you who took that extra minute to post a review. Thank you Harriverse, mab and Heather**_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 10**_

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Harry was wide awake even though he was lying down in his bed. He could not get back to sleep. Once again events had told him that they would happen if they wanted to. Like becoming the Gryffindor seeker, his broom buckling and now Fawkes feathers. It was also disturbing to know that Fawkes had given off two of his feathers; did it indicate he knew about the second wand or had it been two feathers for the one wand.

Dumbledore had been startled by the Self Updating Book of Spells. Harry had wanted to get as many details as possible on the table so that the details of what he was not saying a word about would not be noticed. Dumbledore seemed satisfied by the comments of shopping in Knockturn Alley, but with him one never really knew, Harry thought ruefully.

His thoughts went to Snape. He frowned; Snape was acting oddly. Apart from scowling at Sirius and Remus, he had not said a word, literally. No insulting remarks to Sirius and Remus and no comments about James to Harry. No word about the shopping trip to Knockturn Alley and nothing about the Self Updating Book of Spells. The only thing he had asked was the core of his wands and then apparently he had lost interest. What had happened there?

Harry laid in his bed thinking for a long time before he fell asleep and was up very early. He went down and seeing Sirius and Remus were still asleep, made breakfast and slowly ate it thinking about Snape and Dumbledore. Harry was finishing his breakfast when Remus walked in. Seeing Harry he smiled.

"Up so early Harry?" he asked smiling his thanks and accepting a cup of coffee and a plate of toast and eggs.

"I couldn't sleep Remus. I kept thinking about the Phoenix feathers Fawkes gave me. I woke up early in the morning and made breakfast." Harry smiled and placing his plates at the sink and came back to sit at the table with a cup of hot coffee, when Sirius came down and waving Harry to stay put, he helped himself to his breakfast and sat down beside Harry.

"So what's the plan today?" he asked Harry, ruffling his hair.

"Hey!" Harry pushed Sirius's hand off and grinned at him. "Inspecting my invisibility cloak first; and you two helping me to make that map Fred and George told you they had, second, okay?"

"Fine!" Sirius said, "But what will you do with the map my dear Harry?"

""Will tell you once I have done something with it my dear Sirius!" and all of them laughed.

That is what they did for the rest of the holidays; Harry sneaked up on Sirius and Remus and pranked them so much that they used _homenum revelio_ every time they came into a room or the _Accio_ cloak, waving their wand all around the room. They also worked hard at the Map and Harry asked a great many questions that Sirius and Remus answered and told him how they had created the Map the first time and many stories about how difficult it had been and fun they had and the research they had done on it.

Harry pretended he had not understood many things. He still asked a great many questions mixing silly and intelligent ones and Sirius and Remus humoured him by answering his queries, smiling when Harry did not quite understand. Harry though, was carefully filing away all this information so that he could include the Chamber of Secrets and a few rare passages that the Marauders' had not found. He also wanted to try if the Room of Requirement would also agree to be mapped.

Sirius and Remus went back in time mentally every time they worked on the basics of the Map and Harry had a great time listening to so many things his father and his friends had done; many stories he had heard before and rare ones he had not heard. Harry also spent a lot of time studying all that he missed all the weeks he had been in the infirmary.

All too soon the holidays came to an end and Harry was once again seen off at King's Cross by Sirius and Remus. He waved to them and then sat back in his seat. He was in a compartment with Hermione and Neville. Harry spoke to them about the Map and the spells Sirius and Remus had asked him to do in Hogwarts itself for the Map to activate. They had finished all the basic spells on the parchment and now it was ready for the final few spells.

"We took so much time and parchment mainly because we were experimenting and so many times our spells used to go wrong and it took us many months to complete. Now in a few weeks we are ready and we have been working on the Map for only a little while everyday. Do the spells we taught you carefully and write the results okay?" Sirius had told him and Harry had grinned, nodding his head excitedly.

Now discussing it with an equally excited Hermione who wanted to know about all the basic spells and a Neville who was simply grinning at Harry's increasingly flustered and involved explanations to her questions that were barked out the moment Harry finished explaining something. Finally Harry held out his hand. "Enough Hermione. I will answer your questions later. Please." He begged as Neville giggled and Hermione reluctantly smiled. "Okay later. I will not forget you know." She said half threateningly and Harry nodded just to stop this too-many-questions-at-a-time session.

They were soon at Hogwarts and took the threstal carriages that no one in their year except Harry could see and went to the School and after a huge dinner went up to their dormitories. Harry was putting his things away and relocking his trunk when a small brown School owl came pecking at his window. Surprised Harry opened his window and took the small note tied to the owl's leg. The owl did not fly away so Harry presumed she was waiting for an answer to whoever had written him.

_Potter,_

_Meet me at the empty classroom on the second floor three doors next to the Transfiguration class at eleven tonight. Confirm._

_Malfoy_

Harry looked long and hard at the letter and ran a few revealing spells but could not discern any. Well, time to put his beloved invisibility cloak into use, Harry thought grinning and wrote back on the same parchment and tied it to the owl's leg and sent her off.

_Will be there._

_Harry_

Harry looked at his watch. It was getting half past ten and Harry shouted a goodnight to Neville and said a hello to Ron and closed his curtains and added a mild repelling charm at his curtains.

Then with his invisibility cloak Harry slowly crept out. He reached the classroom and removing his cloak and stuffing it into his bag, pushed the door slowly and went inside. Malfoy was already waiting for him. He jumped off a table, upon which he was sitting and walked towards Harry. He came very close and peered into Harry's eyes and face.

"Are you alright?" he asked abruptly.

Harry was puzzled and it showed when he answered Malfoy. "Yeah, I am. Why shouldn't I be?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Nut! Potter, I meant when you were thrown off your broom." He pinked a bit before turning to stare at the wall and continued. "I couldn't come and see you in the infirmary. There were people all the time. I even checked after dinner but someone was there. So," he looked at Harry whose green eyes had softened greatly, "are you okay?"

Harry smiled. "Yeah Malfoy, I am perfectly okay. I used to get a bit tired easily at the start of the holidays but now even that is not there. Thanks for asking." And Harry held out his hand. Malfoy clasped it tightly. He looked just a bit worried. "None of us in Slytherin had anything to do with your broom, you know. Only the bludgers."

Harry nodded and went to sit on a dusty chair. "Yes I know. I was here with Sirius and Remus one evening for dinner. Sirius asked Dumbledore in my presence and he said no one knew who had done that."

Malfoy looked relieved. "Well I thought you might be you know," he ran down.

"Hey! I would never think of you like that. We are friends." Then cocking up his face to look a bit hesitantly at Malfoy, "We are, aren't we?"

Malfoy beamed. "Of course." He drawled and then both giggled a bit, very uncomfortable at such disclosures and at that point they decided to leave for their dorms to sleep. The next day both of them had potions the first hour and needed to be fresh for it.

The next day was bitterly cold and Harry as he bundled up and started to go down to the Great Hall for breakfast, realized he still had to tackle Quirrell and his attempt to steal the Philosopher's Stone. Harry was in two minds about the stone. On one hand he wanted to attack Quirrell like last time. But another thought these days was with him continuously telling him to steal the Stone before Quirrell and keep it safe with him and later hand it over to Nicholas Flammel. That would be simpler and would save him a lot of trouble.

"Knut for your thoughts Harry?" Neville asked him while they were walking towards the Great Hall.

"Not even worth that Nev. I was thinking about how cold it is today. Seems colder than what we've seen before haven't we?" Harry asked him putting his hands inside his robes in a futile attempt to keep them warm.

Neville nodded. "It is Harry. Today is colder than it has been ever before." He said entering the Great Hall with Harry and Hermione and all three of them heaved a sigh of relief. It was warmer here.

They had their breakfast and went down to potions and met the Slytherins there. "Potter." Malfoy told him smirking.

Before Harry could answer him Ron butted in. "He is fine no thanks to you slimy snakes." Ron snarled.

"And what do you mean by that?" Malfoy asked him pompously, his hands going to his robes and his wand inside them.

"Well it was you Slytherins who hurt him and now you have the nerve to say something to Harry?" Ron shouted and drew his wand. The Slytherins reciprocated and Harry went to stand in the middle.

"Ron that was not necessary. Remember Sirius told us that it was very dark magic to manipulate the broom. It was not done by the Slytherins." Harry shouted at him and at that time the doors banged open and Snape came out.

"Detention Potter, Weasley." He hissed and started to turn inside when Malfoy spoke, shocking everyone and even himself.

"But professor, it wasn't Potter. It was Weasley." Malfoy spoke into the deathly silence. "Potter was trying to stop Weasley." Snape turned and stared at Malfoy who blushed but stood his ground. Harry gaped along with the others. This was probably the first time that a Slytherin had spoken for a Gryffindor.

"Nevertheless Draco, my detentions stand. Potter you will take it with me and Weasley will take it with Flich." Snape said flatly and turned once again and went up to the front of the class.

The whole class was so silent that day. Snape did not utter a word but flicked his wand at the board and set them to working on a simple potion to heal cuts.

All of them finished their potion and handing it silently, trooped out before heaving huge relieved sighs. Harry was scowling, though. Snape was different today. He had not looked at Harry even once and it was beginning to scare him. Snape knew something. What he knew was the mystery and Harry was racking his brains to see if he had said anything out of place or order. Bur he could think of nothing.

"Potter, thanks for standing up for us and I am sorry," Malfoy was hurrying along to Harry's side and he slowed down and started walking with him, when Harry cut him off.

"Hey not your fault, but how long do these detentions last with Snape or Flich anyway?" Harry asked him.

Malfoy shook his head, "I really don't know. Maybe an hour or two at the most. He will make you clean cauldrons or something."

"He really should not have punished Harry. It was you and Ron who were fighting." Hermione sniffed. They had planned to study today and she wanted to test Harry on all that he had missed when he was ill.

"Hey it was not me. It was Weasley. I drew my wand only when he brought his out. He was going to hex me and I just could not stand there taking it, could I?" Malfoy protested.

Neville nodded. "Malfoy is right Hermione. Ron was shouting. In fact he need not have said anything, Ron I mean. It was Harry and Malfoy who were speaking to each other. He butted in and now Harry has to serve detention with Snape of all people."

Malfoy looked to say something rude for a minute before he nodded. Snape was a terror after all and they walked to their Charms class that they had next. Ron was glowering at everyone and he looked betrayed that Harry should be walking in with Malfoy of all people.

Harry though did not say a word and went to sit with Neville and Hermione was shocked when Malfoy sat next to her. Usually she sat with one of the other Gryffindors, but today Malfoy had slid into the seat next to hers. Harry was also shocked for a second and then he grinned widely. Malfoy was acting as if it was an everyday occurrence and he was more than satisfied when Ron simply snarled at him. Malfoy raised one eyebrow and then turned to talk to Hermione. Before Ron could start another fight Flitwick thankfully came in.

"Calm down Ron." Harry hissed to the redhead and then turned his attention to the class. The classes went by slowly and finally it was time for lunch. "How could you Harry? He is a slimy Slytherin and all of them are pure evil." Ron burst out the moment they had sat down for lunch.

"He is not, at least not yet Ron." Harry said calmly to the boy who had come and sat in front of him.

"You-Know-Who was in Slytherin and all the death eaters are all from Slytherin." Ron started before he was cut off by Harry. "Wrong! Sirius comes from a family that is extremely dark. I hope you will not say he is evil merely because his family was and his brother was a death eater Ron." Ron started to say something and Harry held up his hand and continued. "Peter Pettigrew, your Percy's pet rat who was a death eater and who betrayed my parents and most likely killed dozens of people was a Gryffindor and he was my parents' best friend. So because of Pettigrew, are you saying that all Gryffindors are traitors? Because that is what your argument concludes."

Ron gaped and everyone apart from those on the train who had heard all this before gaped as well. "Pettigrew is only one person Harry. The entire House is evil." He managed to come back, though.

Harry shook his head at the stubbornness Ron was showing. "I don't know Ron, but I am not going to judge someone because their family is evil; because then I have to run away from Sirius. I also will not judge anyone because they are from a particular House because of Pettigrew. I am sorry if you cannot see it."

Ron opened his mouth to argue but, "Shut up will you Ron." Fred told him. "Harry has a point here and I vote that is what we all should do."

"No need to be friendly if they insult us personally or try and harm us, but so far Malfoy has done neither. So…" Harry left it there and turned his attention to his food. Ron scowled and also looked down and all of them ate, an awkward silence in between them and finishing they stood up relieved to get away from a very stifling atmosphere.

The day dragged on and after dinner that was once again full of stilted conversation, Harry stood up to leave for his detention. At that time McGonagall came up to him. "Mr. Potter, the Headmaster would like you to bring that book he had wanted to see, tomorrow morning after breakfast."

Harry nodded his head and waving to his friends who were heading off to the library, Harry went down to the potions classrooms. Reaching it he knocked softly and heard Snape's voice. "Enter."

Harry opened the door and saw Snape sitting at his desk. All the other desks except one were pushed to one side and Harry shut the door and turned and walked towards Snape's desk. Snape flicked his wand and muttered a few words and Harry stood there dumbly as many warding spells flew past him and warded the door and the room.

Harry checked up his Occlumency shields once more and proceeded with caution to the single desk and chair that was in front of Snape's desk. Snape had not uttered a word after bidding Harry enter the room and he was gazing intently and unblinkingly at him from the minute Harry stepped into the room.

Harry suddenly had a very bad feeling about this and he was thinking that perhaps Snape had planned for his detention. He had been acting oddly for some time and Harry did not know how to deal with this because this had not happened in the past.

Snape silently pointed a long finger towards the desk and chair, looking at Harry, indicating that Harry should sit down. Harry sat down and looked expectantly at Snape.

"Who are you?" Snape asked him conversationally.

Harry started a little, his heart beating very fast. "What? Sir I am Harry Potter." He replied his mind, boy and senses on full alert, his eyes open very wide. Snape got out of his chair and Harry sat up straight his nerves tingling with awareness. But Snape paced the floor up and down slowly. The third time he was walking towards Harry, Snape waited until he was close enough and suddenly jumped towards Harry and cast a freezing charm and also placed magic binders on Harry.

"I know you are not boy." Snape snarled and glared at Harry who was cursing himself for not having expected an attack like this. "Just who are you? No matter, I will find out now." And to Harry's dismay took out a bottle of clear liquid. Veritaserum!

Snape took out small filler and drawing the liquid, he bound Harry impossibly tightly keeping the magic binders on. Though he did not know it that prevented Harry from doing his wandless magic and Harry could only gaze helplessly when Snape removed the _petrificus totalis_. Snape forced open Harry's mouth roughly and placed six drops on his tongue. Harry's eyes glazed. Snape looked triumphant.

"This is a special form of the truth serum that can be safely administered to children, if you are really one boy. Now what is your full name?"

"Harry James Potter." Snape frowned at that answer and was silent for a few minutes before he repeated that question and got the same answer. He scowled and asked his next question.

"How old are you?"

Harry struggled until blood was seeping through his nose. But he could not beat the serum that was a double dose. He slumped.

"Thirty seven and eleven."

Snape started. He had not been expecting that answer. He stared at Harry for some time before he said 'Legilimens'.

He tore through Harry's head that would have brought Harry to his knees and made him faint if it were not for the veritaserum that was still controlling him and started looking through Harry's memories. He saw all the memories of Harry from the time Sirius took his away from the Dursleys but came up under a block after that. Snape stood there battering away until he could do no more and defeated, he slowly came out of Harry's mind.

He looked at Harry who had blood coming out of his nose and ears and mouth and his eyes had rolled up and he had fainted. Snape was very puzzled as he removed the antidote potion to counter bad Legilimency attacks and also added a pepper up and another nutrient potion scowling thoughtfully all the time.

The bleeding slowly stopped and Snape wiped off all the blood and still staring at Harry, enervated him, making sure the magical binders and the ropes were in place.

Harry felt his head was breaking into pieces and cursed as he woke up. He looked at Snape with blood shot eyes. "Head hurts Snape."

Snape scowled at the familiarity and gave him a pain killer potion and a head ache potion.

Harry took it without a word and felt so much better after a few minutes. Then he stared at Snape.

Snape was staring right back at him and after a few minutes of tense silence Snape cleared his throat. But before he could say a word Harry spoke softly. "You know Snape; you could get life in Azkaban for this stunt you pulled."

Snape smiled and Harry froze at the malice in his face. "Yes I know Potter; that is why I intend to oblivate you before I remove the magical binds and sending you to your dorm. But first tell me why do you have two ages? Even for the Boy-Who-Lived," here Snape sneered magnificently, "that is a bit too much."

Harry shivered. "What made you suspicious in the first place?" he asked settling down in his chair as comfortably as he could. This was going to be a long and a weary detention.

Snape stared. "And why, Potter," he asked softly, "do you think I will tell you?"

"If you want any answers from me you will. Even under veritaserum I am protected from saying some things Snape." Harry told him with an outward calmness that was not there inside.

Snape stared maliciously at Harry. "I came to see you the day you had fallen. That night." He started abruptly. "You were in a warded bed so that no one could harm you while you were recuperating. But foolishly some one had kept your wand outside the wards. I took the wand meaning to take it with me and hand it over to the Headmaster the next day when just of curiosity I cast the priori incantatem on it and found a _Reducto,_ _enervate _and a non-tracking spell that even as a prodigy first year, you should not have known to cast properly. Then I thought back to the troll and remembered that we had found the troll only after some time and how its face had been blasted away and there you are."

Harry had he been free would have banged his head on the table. Again and again. But he was bound and so he stared at Snape. He remembered he had two of his wands in his hands to blast the troll and he had in his hurry to get back to the dorm, had used his School wand to cast the bloody spells and now he was caught because of Snape's curiosity of all things. Harry cursed a bit and closed his eyes.

He really did not know what to do now; he thought his eyes still closed tightly when Snape spoke harshly. "We don't have all night Potter. May be I should bring Albus into this." Snape said contemplatively and Harry shuddered. Dumbledore with the type of information Harry could give was a walking bomb. Harry would once again be subjected to Merlin knows what. Harry slowly opened his eyes and looked at Snape.

"Remove my binds and take away the magic suppressing restraints and we will talk." He said softly and watched as Snape laughed humourlessly.

"And I should obey you and believe you because?" he asked Harry softly.

"I am from the future Snape." Harry suddenly came to a decision and spoke abruptly watching Snape's eyes widen in shock. So Snape had not thought of that.

"Wha… what!" Snape stuttered still in shock.

"Open my binds and I will tell you." Harry told him.

"Oh no you don't Mr. Potter. How many years from the future?" Snape asked him, knowing fully well how many years into the future Harry was.

"Oh no you don't professor Snape." Harry replied throwing back his words at him and seeing his face contort into a scowl. "And for this even veritaserum will not help, because I have protected my memories very well. Remove my binds. I swear I will not attack you or run away from here. Please."

Snape simply looked at him and then, "Give me an oath that you will stay here today until I dismiss you and that you will not attack me." He told Harry abruptly.

"Given, but I will defend myself in case you attack first. On my magic! I promise I will not attack you first and I will stay here until I am dismissed."

The binds vanished with a flick of Snape's wand and Harry slumped into his chair and shivered as the magic surged through him. "May I have some replenishing potions please? My head is so sore after your Legilimency attack and now my head is killing me with this release of my magic. It is surging to my already painful head." Harry asked slightly irritated with everything.

Snape went to the other room safe in the knowledge of the oath Harry had given him and brought about three potions. Harry did not even look at them but drowned all of them, surprising Snape. "What?" he said sounding a bit better. "I know you won't kill me."

Snape flicked his wand and conjured a chair at right angles from where Harry was sitting and asked him once again. "From how many years into the future Potter are you? It is Potter is it not?"

"I replied to that under veritaserum Snape. I am many years into the future. Wait," he said Snape started to scowl. "I didn't say I will not tell you Snape. Twenty five bloody years into the future as you very well know. But I will tell you that a lot of bad things happened before the good stuff even began to show its face. I did not plan to come into the past. I did not want to. I had made my peace with everything and everyone. I was married," here Harry's voice turned bitter, "and I had three lovely children. I was so happy and then investigating some dark activity got me here to the past."

"What were you?" Snape asked quietly.

"An auror, Head auror in fact." Harry's eyes took a far away look and his face grew very tight as he thought of his three precious children.

"I have already lost that life, you know. My kids are never going to happen because I have already changed so much from the past." Harry whispered his green eyes shimmering with tears of regret. Harry abruptly looked down and angrily brushed his eyes and stood up and started pacing the room, keeping his face away from Snape, not wanting him to see his vulnerability.

Snape watched Harry's obvious agitation in silence and after a few minutes, he stood up. "It is very late Potter. But I have still not finished with you. You may tell your classmates that you did not finish the potion I had assigned you to complete during detention, and you must come back here tomorrow after breakfast to finish it. We will continue this then."

Harry looked up in gratitude and nodded his head. He was talking to someone about his past for the first time after he had travelled here and it was draining him emotionally.

"I need only one thing from you sir. I want your oath on your magic and life that what I say to you will never ever leave you without my express permission. Not even Sirius or Remus knows of this. Please." Harry pleaded.

"What will you do if I do not give it?" Snape asked and was taken aback when Harry smiled.

"I cannot do anything now. But the moment you dismiss me I will oblivate you and believe me I can." Harry said just as softly and Snape saw that Harry had already his wand in his hand.

"But I don't want to do that. I never wanted anyone to know. But now that you do I merely want that information protected." Harry told him, his eyes begging him not to fight this.

"I swear on my magic and my life I will not betray anything you tell me about your travel to the past without your express permission. Is that alright?" Snape asked mockingly as a golden swirl of magic circled him and went to Harry.

"I accept." Harry said and waited until the swirl disappeared into him and then he said softly, "Thank you sir. You don't know how much and may I have a Dreamless Sleeping Draught."

Snape merely looked at him and nodded once, before going inside once again and bringing a vial of the Dreamless sleep potion. Handing it to Harry he said, "You may leave Potter." Harry took the potion in his hand and got up rather unsteadily and stumbled to the door. He turned to ask Snape about the potion they were to have done because he knew Hermione and Neville would want to know.

"What potion am I to have half completed?" Harry asked him just as he reached the door.

"The potions for curing curse boils." Harry grimaced and left the potions classroom and it's Master.

_**End of Chapter – 10**_

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	11. Chapter 11

_**Thank you all of you who have read this story so far and to all of you who have taken that extra moment to post a review. Thank you Harriverse, Teresa and anon**_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 11**_

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Harry walked up slowly, his thoughts a million years away. James, Albus and Lily, his three children came up before him and it was all Harry could do to stop choking. On top of all that the Legilimency that Snape had conducted on his brain had almost fried his brain and being bound for so much time and having magical binds on him, totally chewed him, inside out. He went up to the dorms tiredly and groaned when he saw Hermione and Neville sitting on a couch and waiting anxiously for him.

"Harry?" Hermione jumped up and ran to him. Neville had also got up from his seat and was now coming behind Hermione and he gasped seeing how tired Harry was. "Harry? What did Snape do to you?"

"Made me do a potion for curing curse boils and I kind of messed it up. He told me to get out and come back tomorrow to finish that and he will most likely make me do another potion as well. I am tired Hermione. May I go and get some sleep? I will see you all tomorrow. Don't wake me up, okay?" Harry told them softly and then another thought came up to him.

"Has Ron come back?" Harry asked. Neville shook his head and so did Hermione.

"It was all because of him that you have had such a tough time Harry. Stupid really, starting an argument for no reason." Hermione told him sympathetically.

"Yes I know, Hermione. But Ron doesn't like Slytherins. He has the idea that all Slytherins are evil and bad because Voldemort came from that House." Harry told her, walking towards his dorm.

Hermione nodded and saying her goodnights to both Harry and Neville, she went up to her dorm. Neville and Harry walked up to theirs and slowly washed and changed. Harry stood under the hot shower and let his tears run along with the water. He only stopped when Neville called him hesitantly and cleared his throat, "Coming Nev. You carry on."

Harry dried and changed into his night clothes and bidding goodnight to Neville, Harry went to his bed and closing his curtains and gulped the dreamless sleep potion and banished the vial. Then Harry was asleep, totally drained and fatigued, mentally, physically and emotionally.

The next morning Neville got up at the usual time; he and Hermione were now accustomed to getting up early and went to wash. He came back all fresh and clean from the bathroom and put on his robes and then noticed that Harry's curtains were still drawn tightly together.

Neville frowned, this was the first time Harry had not woken up. He stood there hesitantly for a few minutes, wondering if he should peep in and see if Harry was fine or should he just let go. Finally he decided to check up on Harry before going down. He walked to Harry's bed and slowly parted the curtains and saw that Harry was sleeping very soundly. He put his hand on Harry's forehead and was relieved to find it cool to touch.

Neville stood there looking at the boy who had befriended him and had made him so happy and a smile crept out on Neville's face. He decided that he would do as much as he could to protect Harry and be there for him, just as Harry had been there for Neville when he had started school. Hogwarts had given him nightmares and he had not had a single good night's sleep after he had received his letter, fearing the jeers and shivering in horror every time he would not be able to do his lessons properly and disappoint his Gran.

Now all that had changed and Neville was so happy, confident and he was also picking up in his lessons and was also able to stand up for himself and the other day he had even punched Malfoy for speaking ill of Hermione. Looking at Harry's face as he slept, Neville fiercely decided to do his best to be there for him too.

With that positive thought he stepped out and ensuring the curtains were closed tightly, Neville went down. It was a Saturday and there were no lessons, but he had still taken his bag with him, because they had been planning to get on with their homework and also do a bit of extra studying.

Hermione was there waiting for them and she looked worried when she saw only Neville coming down. "Where is Harry?" she asked as Neville started walking towards the common room entrance.

"He is very deeply asleep Hermione and he did tell us not to wake him up yesterday. Let's go to the Great Hall have breakfast and come back here and wait for him." Neville answered and both of them walked almost silently to the Great Hall.

All the professors were there and Neville and Hermione saw Snape's eyes narrow and a scowl come upon his face seeing Harry's absence. They had their breakfast in silence and were about to leave when Snape came striding towards them.

"Where is Potter? Has he gone to the potions classroom already?" he asked them.

"No sir." Neville told him with a gulp and he took a step backwards when he saw the fierce scowl come back on Snape's face and hurried with his explanation. "Harry was still asleep sir when we came down. I checked up on him."

Snape paused for a minute, glaring at Neville and then without a word billowed out of the Great Hall.

Neville and Hermione gulped down their breakfast and walked back quickly to the Gryffindor common room and sat down opening their work but were unable to start. They kept looking every minute at the stairs that led to the dorm and jumped up in relief when they saw Harry coming down. Harry paused for a second when he saw them and then continued downstairs, greeting them with a smile.

Both the Gryffindors were so relieved to see him smile and Hermione let out long breath, sighing in relief. "How are you feeling Harry?" she asked him, anxiously hovering very close to him.

Harry who was feeling as if he had been dragged backwards through all the hedges in Scotland, shrugged, "I am fine Hermione. Nothing to worry. Have you two had breakfast?"

"Yes Harry. I checked up on you and since you were sleeping tight, Hermione and I went down and… oh Harry, Snape was scowling like anything and he wanted to know when you will come to complete your detention." Neville told him, looking very distressed. "You will be careful today won't you Harry, and make sure you won't get another detention with him?"

Harry shuddered, thinking of more detention with Snape where he would be mind-raped and bound. "No of course not. Today I'll hopefully finish the potion properly and then be allowed to come back. Where will you guys be?" Harry asked them walking to the portrait door.

"We will be right here Harry. You will be back by lunch won't you?" Hermione asked him.

Harry shrugged once again. "Don't be worried if I am mot in for lunch. Snape told me to re-do the potion and he will most likely make me do another one just for spite. It is better I finish everything today and be free for tomorrow. Besides I have to see Dumbledore first. McGonagall told me yesterday remember?"

They nodded looking worried and walked along with him to the Great Hall, where breakfast was just getting over. Harry hurriedly had whatever was there on the table while Neville and Hermione were sitting along with him.

Then all three of them walked together until Hermione and Neville turned towards Gryffindor Tower. Harry waved to them and turned to visit the Headmaster.

Soon Harry was standing in front of the gargoyle and wondering how to get inside when the gargoyle suddenly opened and revealed a flight of stairs. Harry stepped on the steps and went up and very soon came to a door. Harry checked his Occlumency shields and then softly knocked on the door.

"Come in Harry." a cheerful voice called from inside and Harry opened the room and stepped into the familiar office of the Headmaster of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Good morning professor." Harry told him smiling as he entered the room and shut the door after him.

"Good morning Harry. How are you now? All recovered?" Dumbledore asked him.

"Yes sir." Harry replied politely and sat down in a comfortable chair that Dumbledore indicated to him. A second later Fawkes flew from his perch with a loud trill and landed on Harry's knee. Harry grinned, "Hello Fawkes, how are you? I have your feather in my wand do you know?"

Fawkes trilled loud and long and pecked Harry affectionately on his shoulder. Dumbledore watched this by play with a smile, but his eyes were looking very puzzled. Fawkes had never reacted to anyone like this and Dumbledore could not understand.

"How does your wand perform now Harry?" Dumbledore asked. In reply Harry waved his wand and Dumbledore was astounded by the riot of colours that came from it.

"Well Harry I was very interested in the book you said was by Ignotus Peverell. May I see it please?" Dumbledore asked him, after a small pause.

"Sure sir, but I don't think it will work for you. The book said it had bound with me, but the lady at the shop said so many persons had purchased the book but had returned it because no one could read the book at all. But when Remus pricked my finger and put a drop of blood, it worked." Harry grinned, removing the Self Updating Book of Spells and handing it over to Dumbledore, slowly stroking Fawkes softly. Fawkes was trilling very softly in sheer pleasure.

Dumbledore took the book from him and tried a few spells and then pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall on the book. But the book did not react or open for him at all. Dumbledore looked extremely disappointed and handed over the book to Harry with a rueful smile. "Well it apparently will work only for you. Keep it carefully Harry. Peverell was an extraordinary wizard and his accomplishments were many. He has chosen you and I do believe it is a great honour."

"Yes sir." Harry grinned.

"You are off to detention with professor Snape?" Dumbledore asked him amiably.

Harry's eyes clouded and he frowned and looked down. "Yes sir. Hopefully I will get the potion right and get the evening off at the very least."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled madly. "You have detention until evening?" he asked.

"Yes sir. The detention was yesterday evening. But I somehow messed it up and professor Snape has asked me to come again today and make the potion once more. At least that is what I think I will be asked to do." Harry finished doubtfully and looked unhappily at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore smiled. "Well then off you go. Let us not keep professor Snape waiting."

Harry stood up at once carefully holding Fawkes who trilled at him and flew up to his perch. Harry smiled at Dumbledore and them and turned away. The moment he walked out, away from the gargoyle, Harry started walking steadily towards the dungeons. Harry was very thoughtful as he marched off towards the dungeons, mentally going through everything from his other life and ticking off all that he could tell Snape and that he couldn't.

There were so many things that came in the category of 'cannot tell Snape' Harry could only hope Snape would keep quiet and not run to Dumbledore or worse ram into his brain once again. This time Harry would be ready for Snape's attacks but Harry did not want to fight with him or worse turn him antagonistic towards him, he really did not want Snape as the enemy. Now, that he had someone who knew about his other life and the fact that it was Snape had both advantages and disadvantages.

While the disadvantages were many, all of them being Snape's past with Harry's father and mother and his own sarkiness and bitterness and Harry shook his head, wondering what his mother had seen in this man that she had been friends with him for so long and had been close enough for his father to be jealous from a portrait even after all the three of them had died. But the advantages were much more.

If only Snape would agree to work with Harry and most importantly trust him, Harry knew half the battle would be won in that one step alone. Whether Snape would do it, well Harry shrugged once again, who knew what Snape would do at any given point in time. Not him, Harry thought looking around the empty dungeons and surprised he had reached so quickly, Harry knocked softly on the door of the potions classroom.

"Enter." Snape's voice told him and Harry pushed the door open and went inside. Snape was sitting at his desk and writing something and Harry went to Snape's desk and stood there.

"I'm afraid I over slept professor and I'm sorry for being late. I had to visit professor Dumbledore and show him the Self Updating Book of Spells." Harry told him softly.

Snape gave no indication he had heard Harry and he continued writing until he finished that sentence and putting his quill down, he stood up and looked inscrutably at Harry. "Come." He said and walked out of the door and walking a little further, came to his office.

He opened the door and went inside and waited for Harry to step in before he closed the door and added powerful privacy wards. Harry took out his wand and added a few more and turned to Snape, who glared at him and spoke shortly. "You are here to write about your potion while I work. This will be the first part of your detention; to write and let me know where you have gone wrong." Snape flicked his wand and a parchment appeared on the desk, the side where Harry would sit and it was written and in Harry's handwriting.

Harry blinked at the thoroughness of the man, but he was the spy and he was probably more paranoid than Mad-Eye Moody.

Snape pointed a long finger to Harry just like the other day, indicating Harry sit down but this time Harry was not buying it and he stood there wand in his hand and looking steadily at Snape.

Snape stared at him and suddenly with a raised eyebrow went around the desk and sat down. "I will not hex you Potter. Not yet. I want answers. While you did confirm you were Harry Potter, you still have to give me proof that you are from the future and that you are not possessed." Harry winced and cringed at that and he saw Snape's eyes narrow.

Harry did not say a word in defence and he lifted his wand and looked at Snape who already had his wand pointing at his face. Harry smiled, "I swear on my magic and on my life that I am from the future and I came here by falling accidentally on a time turner that slipped from my grasp and transported me back in time. My name is Harry James Potter and I am the son of James Potter and Lily Evans Potter." Snape watched with no expression on his face as the magic came out of Harry's wand swirled around him and again went into him.

Snape put his wand down and looked at him. "How many years from the future are you?" Harry had told him his age yesterday, he knew; it was just like Snape to reconfirm it. Harry shook his head ruefully. This was going to be as long a detention as it was yesterday.

"Twenty five years." Harry replied softly.

"The Dark Lord?" Snape asked him.

"Died once and for all in my seventh year here. But before that he took half the Wizarding World with him." Harry replied his eyes far away.

Snape was silent for some time. "So he comes back." He said in a small whisper.

"Yes. In my fourth year. At the end of it."

"Who died along with him?" Snape asked him, his face once again expressionless. 

"Who didn't?" Harry asked bitterly.

"Tell me." Snape commanded in an incredibly soft voice.

"I cannot Snape. That knowledge I will have with myself. One death that did not happen until the very end that time happened very early now. Peter Pettigrew." Harry said viciously.

Snape's eyes widened. "So I was right in thinking you had a hand in that."

Harry nodded his green eyes still angry as he thought of the rat. "The rat in my other life was responsible for so much Snape. He was with the Weasleys for almost thirteen years until Sirius broke out of Azkaban and came searching for the rat. Wormtail as he was also known was also responsible for the resurrection of Voldemort and for so many horrible things. Now," Harry said with extreme satisfaction, "he cannot do any more harm. The bloody rat."

Snape was silent, his face not betraying anything, though his eyes were shocked. He raised an eyebrow. "Black broke out of Azkaban?" he asked incredulously.

Harry nodded. "In my third year. Everyone thought him a death eater who escaped to kill me and take revenge. I thought so too, at the time. I did not even know he was my Godfather. So many things were kept from me and the others by Dumbledore; if only we had known and had been prepared…" Harry trailed off.

"Do you know of the Prophecy?" he asked after another silence.

Harry looked straight at him. "Yes, I know the whole Prophecy that Trelawney told Dumbledore and also the fact that it was you who heard one half of it before you were discovered and sent away. I also know that you went to Voldemort with it." Snape started a little and his black eyes flashed with so many emotions so quickly that Harry could not read them.

"I see." He said quietly after a long time but did not add more.

There was only silence after that. Snape did not say a word, his eyes completely blank now and staring at the wall in front of him and Harry staring at Snape, trying to get a glimpse into his feelings, but could not discern any. After another long silence Snape turned his eyes from that point on the wall where he had been staring blankly and asked, "How did the Dark Lord come back?"

"Before I tell you that I want another oath on your magic and life that what ever we discuss is between us and you will not tell anyone, not even the Headmaster about it. I don't want his meddling to come anywhere near this. While I do trust him with my life, his meddling will surely create more unknowns and I do not wish for that. It is too big."

Snape looked at Harry for a long time and slowly lifted his wand. "I Severus Tobias Snape promise to protect all the secrets of Harry James Potter and will never betray him or his secrets for whatever reason."

Harry waited until the golden swirl came out of Snape's wand. "I accept." He said simply.

"Voldemort made what are called horcruxes." Harry said and Snape gasped loudly. His usually expressionless black eyes were filled with terror, hearing those few words.

"What did you say Potter?" Snape managed to gasp out. He was gripping his hands tightly and looked at Harry in fear.

"He made six of them. He was to have made the seventh on Halloween that night when he came to murder me, but my mother's sacrifice saved my hide and he lost his body. But because of the horcruxes he cannot die and so he is waiting to be restored to his body somehow. Pettigrew helped him in my fourth year when he along with another death eater, helped lure me to the graveyard at Little Hangleton and used my blood to resurrect, thinking he could have my mother's protection too."

"Did he get it?" Snape asked his chest heaving in emotion. Harry was slightly unnerved. Except when he was dying Snape had not shown any other emotion other than distaste, hatred and anger towards Harry and this Snape who was so scared was a novelty. Harry knew this would soon settle and Snape would go back to his old expressionless face and nasty self, but for the moment Snape had totally lost it.

"No of course not. She meant to protect me from him after all." Snape calmed down a little at that. "Continue." He said his eyes calmer and looking more alert now.

"I already have three of the horcruxes with me and I have already destroyed them." Harry told him.

Snape gaped at him. "How…?"

"Those were the horcruxes I knew would be where I found them because they were undisturbed the first time too. There are only two things that can destroy horcruxes; basilisk venom and Fiendfyre as far as I know. I removed the ring from the old Gaunt House, the locket from Grimmauld Place and the diadem from the Room of Requirement here in Hogwarts. The Room of Requirement gave me the means to destroy the horcruxes as well."

Snape looked very thoughtful at this information. "So now we have three left."

Harry nodded. "One is an old diary at Malfoy Manor. That diary Lucius Malfoy dropped into Ginny Weasley's cauldron in my second year. He did not know that the diary was a horcrux and Voldemort almost killed him for destroying that."

"How did you destroy the diary?" Snape asked him leaning forward.

"Well the diary possessed Ginny and she in turn released the huge basilisk that is there in Slytherin's chamber in my second year. Later the diary that possessed Ginny, took her into the chamber and started squeezing out her life in exchange for Voldemort's. Ron who was my best friend then and I went into the chamber but only I could go inside the main chamber and I was bloody lucky to defeat the sixty foot ancient basilisk and destroy the diary. Of course at that time I was not aware it was a horcrux."

Snape stared at him in silence and Harry continued after a few minutes when he realized Snape did not speak. "This time too we can wait for Lucius Malfoy to put the diary in Ginny's cauldron and get it when she comes to Hogwarts next year. Otherwise I am hoping my friendship with Malfoy would not only save him from becoming a death eater but would also yield good results regarding the diary."

"The other two?" Snape asked him and Harry decided to keep the information that he too was a horcrux for the time being.

"Well the other two are those for which I will need your help. They are Nagini whom he still has not made into a horcrux and Hufflepuff's cup that Voldemort forcibly retrieved from the Smith family. He made a horcrux of that and it is now lying in Bellatrix Lestrange's vault deep in Gringotts."

Snape frowned. "Nagini will be easy. I can administer so many potions that are not detectable and kill her easily; will the horcrux also die with her? She is a living thing with a mind of her own?"

"Yes she will die. But remember you cannot kill the horcrux inside her with potions. You must start a fight and somehow attack her with Fiendfyre or cut off her head with a sword dipped in basilisk venom or administer basilisk venom to her; though I do not know if that will kill the horcrux as well. Potions will kill her alright but the horcrux, I am not sure. Last time Neville killed Nagini with the sword of Gryffindor that has basilisk venom coated on it. He cut off her head in the Battle for Hogwarts."

Snape's eyes widened. "Longbottom?" he asked disbelievingly.

"Longbottom." Harry said mockingly.

Snape glared at him and then became thoughtful. "Bella's vault will be the worst. How did you get it out last time?"

"We broke in and escaped on a Gringotts dragon and were very lucky. This time I really do not know." Harry said shocking Snape once again. He gaped at Harry who laughed at him.

"Hermione, Ron and I were the only ones who knew about the horcruxes. Not even you knew. We set off after sixth year when Dumbledore was killed,"

"What!" Snape exclaimed.

"Yes," Harry nodded, "Dumbledore died at the end of that year. He was already dying because of a curse that hit him when he tried to destroy the horcrux at Gaunt's place. He was killed by death eaters and the three of us without the help of the Order that fell into pieces after his death, and without the knowledge of good magic floundered and stumbled and struggled in total darkness and it was sheer luck we survived to tell the tale."

"Did Draco kill him?" Snape asked him softly his black eyes boring into Harry's green ones.

Harry hesitated for a minute. "I really cannot tell you the circumstances of Dumbledore's death fully, but I will say this without having to resort to lies. Draco let a lot of death eaters into the School and he was killed. Dumbledore would not have survived anyway and until the last moment he was trying to sway Draco to the Light. He also succeeded in his effort because Draco put his wand down, but unfortunately at that time Greyback and Alecto and Amycus along with two others ran in and then Dumbledore's fate was more or less sealed."

Snape sighed, showing a completely human emotion. "You are not telling me anything Potter."

"I have already told you too much. Only I want you to sit on the information as much as you can and allow events to move on as closely as they did the other time. Only then we can even expect have a modicum of control over them. Otherwise we will be caught up in a situation where there will be more unknowns and we may end up doing the wrong thing. I am of course assuming you will aid me?" Harry asked him cocking his head slightly to look questioningly at Snape.

He scowled and glared at Harry. "For all your thirty seven years, you are really not blessed with brains are you? Did you really think I would let you go about destroying horcruxes and taking down death eaters on your own?"

Harry rolled his eyes and smiled his thanks at Snape who glowered back at him.

"Dumbledore has asked me to keep an eye on Quirrell and he is very suspicious about you. So is McGonagall." Snape told him abruptly changing the subject.

Harry laughed. "I know. I noticed all the peeping you two did and," Harry's voice turned serious, "don't go anywhere near Quirrell. He has got Voldemort at the back of his head. Voldemort at present possesses Quirrell and he wants to somehow get his hands on the Philosopher's Stone."

Snape stared at Harry once again and then shuddered for a second before controlling himself. Harry noticed Snape's reaction but did not say a word and simply continued, "Quirrell will wait until the end of the School year before getting to the stone and at that time if you will come with me we can work through all the enchantments, before I go in and face Quirrell."

Snape shook his head. "Not admissible Potter. I will not permit you to go and meet the Dark Lord alone, whatever your rate of success has been in the past."

Harry huffed, irritated. "Understand Snape. You cannot be seen with me before Voldemort's sprit. You have to take your position at his side when he gets back his body. The Order and I will need you there. Once we are through McGonagall's chess set you have to go back to your potions classroom."

"And how, may I know will you take care of the Dark Lord and Quirrell?" Snape demanded.

Harry grinned. "By touching Quirrell of course. Last time I got the stone and was about to run when Quirrell came after me and tried to hold on to me. He couldn't and the moment he touched me he crumbled to ashes. Mother's protection against Voldemort works until I am seventeen."

"And what is your age?" Snape asked sarcastically.

Harry looked at him in shock. Of course he was both eleven and thirty seven now and he had no clue if the protection that worked then would work now. "Merlin!" Harry breathed in horror. "You have a point. I never even thought of that. But we cannot let Voldemort see you as working along with me especially when he would command you to hold me and then kill me."

"I can polyjuice as someone else." Snape said thoughtfully, thinking about the protections all the professors had placed.

Harry grinned at the thought of Snape polyjuicing as Neville. Snape saw the grin and correctly assessing it, he scowled. "I meant some one competent, like one of the fifth years or even the seventh year Slytherins or Ravenclaws."

Harry looked indignant at the slight that no Gryffindor was competent enough and rolled his eyes in exasperation as Snape smirked. "Well," Harry drawled, "I was thinking of Neville."

Snape glared again and before he could tell Harry just what he thought of that idea, Harry hurriedly continued, "But I don't want to wait until the end of the year, just in case we go wrong. If Voldemort gets to the Stone is will be nothing short of disastrous. I vote we go tonight and steal the stone. I will place it in my family vault that no one, not even Sirius and Remus know I have access to, and it will be safe there until the war is over. After that I will return it to Dumbledore and ask him to do whatever he pleases with it. What do you say?"

Snape objected to stealing the Stone and that too almost at once. Harry spent the next hour convincing Snape it would be alright. It was too soon for Snape to go from doubting Harry to stealing the Stone with him, but in the end Harry managed to convince him and heave a sigh of relief.

"This is the best way Snape. This way the Stone will be safe and even if Quirrell escapes, Voldemort will not get his hands on the Stone. Please say yes. I have given you an oath on my magic and if you still don't trust me…" Harry trailed off hoping Snape would see sense and not be pig headed about everything.

Snape was silent for some time after the heated arguments and then he slowly nodded his head. "Do you know how to tackle the creature inside the door?"

Harry snorted. "Say three headed dog Snape. Of course I know. Are you going to test me until the end of time?" Snape quirked an eyebrow at Harry and simply waited for his next statement.

"Tonight?" Harry asked him. Snape nodded.

"Come to the third floor corridor at eleven. I will meet you there okay?" Snape nodded once again before he spoke, "The moment you remove the stone Dumbledore will know. You must have some plan for that. I suggest we replace the stone with a replica of the original and transfer all the protective charms to it and let it be."

"Then Quirrell will escape with Voldemort. That is not allowed Snape." Harry objected.

Snape's eyes gleamed. "Why don't we set a trap in there? We could cast spells to attack him if he does touch the stone. And we could set it for anyone who wants to get the stone."

"We keep the original stone there?" Harry asked slightly confused.

"You are a dunderhead Potter. I meant on the false stone. The real thing, you take it with you and make sure you put it in your family vault at the earliest. And now get out."

Harry did not even blink at the insult. Instead he stood up cheerfully. "Okay that's settled. Meet you at the entrance tonight. And I spent the whole morning here writing about the potion and you have that parchment with you now. Hermione and Neville would want to know." And sauntered to the door and turned back to see Snape looking at him. "Thank you so much sir." Harry told him softly, his green eyes shining with gratitude and slipped out of the room Snape still staring at him, his face expressionless.

_**End of Chapter – 11**_

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	12. Chapter 12

_**Thank you, all of you who have read this story so far and to everyone who took that extra minute to review, thank you Harriverse and Draw4life **_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 12**_

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Harry closed the door behind him and walked out of the dungeons only to be pulled into a small alcove on his right. "Mhpmn." Merlin! What was happening to him the last two days. Everyone was able to catch him and disarm him. "Potter." The voice said urgently and Harry relaxed. It was Malfoy. Harry calmly removed the hand off his mouth and turned to smile at the boy. "Draco. What is it?"

"Why did you have detention today also?" he asked. "Weasley didn't." Malfoy pointed out in addition to his initial question.

"Yeah I know. I kinda of messed it up yesterday and you how your Head of House is. He made me come today and write where I had gone wrong and hand it over to him. Whew! I finished only now and I got out as fast as I could. How did you know anyway?"

"I saw you walking behind Snape and go into his office. I waited until lunch and you did not come out. So I went up to the Great Hall and asked Neville and Hermione and they told me. I finished lunch and came back here to wait for you." Malfoy explained.

Harry was quiet for a long minute while he processed what Malfoy was saying. Then he smiled brilliantly, "Hey! Thanks for waiting for me, must have been boring. Snape made me write about the potion I had messed up yesterday; the one to heal curse boils and he made me re-do the damn thing until I went mad. Thankfully he has not taken away any points from Gryffindor and so I am okay."

Malfoy who had been watching Harry intently nodded looking a bit relieved. "Snape can be a bit harsh to those not in Slytherin."

Harry looked disbelievingly at him. "A bit harsh?" he asked sarcastically and rolled his eyes when Malfoy nodded seriously and then grinned at Harry when he rolled his eyes, and drawled, "Riiight!"

Malfoy laughed outright at that and then slightly pinked and looked down. "What are you going to do now? I mean er, will you go to your common room and stay there?"

Harry cocked his head and looked at Malfoy. "Yes." He nodded and saw the disappointment on Malfoy's face. "But," Harry said smiling, "Why don't you come with me and spend the day there?"

Malfoy stared at Harry and began to nod before he stopped with a slight frown. "I don't think that is a good idea Potter." He said slowly and catching Harry puzzled and slightly hurt look he continued hastily, "Not because I don't want to, but because I don't want the others in Slytherin to know and spread the word to everyone that I have access to Gryffindor." Malfoy told him earnestly hoping Harry would understand.

Harry did. Malfoy did not want his father to know because if this went around, Lucius Malfoy would definitely hear about it and that would cause complications. "You don't want the other Slytherins to know?" seeing Malfoy nod his head in relief Harry continued very puzzled, "But they do know we are kind of friends don't they?"

Malfoy blushed profusely. "Not fully. They think I am being friends with you with a reason. If they come to know I came to your common room, they will write, er, what I meant was er… I mean they will talk." Malfoy finished lamely.

Harry looked at him. "It will get you into trouble?" he asked simply.

"And you." Malfoy nodded, shuffling his feet and looking down.

"Okay, come to the lake in about fifteen minutes. I will bring Hermione and Neville down. And be warmly clothed." Harry told him and Malfoy grinned relieved Harry that had not questioned him more.

"I will go down right now." Malfoy blushed again looking at Harry. "I mean I don't have anything important to do right now, so it should be fine." He said attempting to look pompous and failing miserably.

"That's great. See you then." Harry told him, ignoring his blushes. Malfoy was coming along nicely. Hopefully he would stay this way and not get back into the nasty bully he had been before.

Harry and Malfoy left the dungeons and glancing back towards the dungeons Harry saw Snape lurking in the shadows. He grinned to himself and kept up a steady chatter until they parted, Harry going to the Gryffindor common room and Malfoy leaving for the lake.

Harry opened the Gryffindor common room and found almost everyone was inside. Hermione squealed when she saw him and ran to him and hugged him hard. "Don't tell me you have detention once again."

"No." Harry made a show of wiping the sweat off his brow. Hermione laughed and Neville shuddered.

"I am feeling hungry. Coming with me?" Harry asked them and soon they waved to the other first years and went out of the portrait hole and to the kitchens, chattering about Snape and his detention.

Harry tickled the pears and went inside and soon came out with a huge picnic basket with food enough for more than ten people. Carrying it carefully Harry, Neville and Hermione went down by the lake where Harry saw Draco Malfoy standing and throwing stones into the frozen lake. The stones were hitting the lake with a 'pling' and rolling away.

"Hey Malfoy, hungry?" Harry called and soon he was devouring sandwiches along with the others who also ate as if they had missed lunch that day. Replete, Harry lay on the blanket that Hermione had warmed with a warming charm and once again told the others what Snape had made him do in detention because Malfoy asked him one more time about it and then they were all quiet for some time.

"You should really stop fighting with Ron you know." Harry told him lazily.

"Hey that's not fair. I don't fight him, he starts it every time." Malfoy protested. Harry did not answer and continued to lay down looking at the dark skies. It was bitterly cold outside and no one else was there apart from them. Hermione and Neville were shivering visibly and Malfoy was rubbing his hands together in an effort to keep warm.

But Harry loved the cold breeze that chilled his face that day. After two days of suffering interrogation with Snape and having his brain fried, the outside was very refreshing.

"Harry?" Hermione asked him, her teeth chattering. "Let's go inside. We are all freezing."

Harry laughed and stood up and packed the picnic basket and all of them went inside with huge sighs of relief from Hermione, Neville and Malfoy.

"Shall we sit in the library?" Hermione asked them, jerking her head at Malfoy, understanding that they could not take him to Gryffindor and nor could they go with him to Slytherin. Harry nodded and all of them went to the library and sat there for the rest of the day, whispering to each other and Hermione ordering Harry to start with everything that he missed and attend to his work.

They had a very good time the whole day and Harry did not notice the invisible form of Albus Dumbledore frowning at him and the others. He would have known had Dumbledore peeped into his mind, but Dumbledore did not peep. Instead he spent a good portion of the day watching Harry.

The book of Ignotus Peverell had shocked Dumbledore and he wished he could tell Harry to write about the Hallows and get information. He did not know that Harry had already written and received the relevant information which was not much more than what the Headmaster himself had told him.

Harry had always admired Albus Dumbledore, and he had soon after war with Voldemort learnt a great many things from him. But after the war Harry was not the same innocent boy he had been before and his questions were sometimes very tough.

It was only after a few years that the fights started in earnest and their relationship deteriorated with the differences showing up sharply between them. But Harry knew it was because of him that everything went downhill; Dumbledore had been the same. Harry also knew that he had loved Harry like the son he did not have and Harry also loved him very much but he saw the flaws in this Dumbledore that made him very human.

Dumbledore was much too manipulative and the points of view that sometimes Dumbledore did not defend nor explain led to this rift. Snape had been the last straw.

That night Harry crept out of the dorm, checking his new marauder's map for anyone in the common room and outside, and breathed a sigh of relief when both places were empty.

Harry had cast the required spells on the map the day he stepped into the School. He had also added the Chamber of Secrets but the Room of Requirement refused to be mapped. Harry made sure the map was with him all the time and also the invisibility cloak.

Now at eleven Harry stepped out of the Gryffindor common room and went swiftly to the forbidden third floor corridor. He slowed down once he reached there and took out his map and spotted Snape standing with probably an invisibility charm on him, just in front of him. Harry once again checked the entire floor and took off his invisibility cloak. The next moment Snape was visible looming and scowling at him.

Casting notice-me-not charms at both of them, Snape cautiously opened the door and stepped inside. Harry stepped inside after him and flicked his wand, shutting the door simultaneously and locking it with a wave of his hand. Snape was already hitting the three headed dog with stunners when soft flute music began to play. In a minute the dog was asleep.

Snape turned astonished eyes to Harry before he scowled. Harry grinned and levitated the huge three headed dog to a corner of the room from where it had started sleeping, which was right over the trap door.

Snape and Harry jumped in and tackled the Devil's Snare and went into the room of keys. Harry and Snape summoned a broom each and they caught the key in no time and opened the door and went in to meet the giant chess set. Harry let Snape handle this one and Snape quirked an eyebrow at Harry. "Not very good are we?" he asked, smirking when Harry scowled, and removed a knight and a Queen to start playing.

The next half hour went by tensely before Snape defeated the white King and they were to walk into the next room, when Harry called to Snape. "There is a troll in the next room Snape, let me open the door from here and both of us can cast the Reducto together. What do you say?"

Snape sneered and nodded. Harry waved his hand, looking at the door and did not notice Snape's surprise at Harry's wandless magic. The moment the door opened, the troll loomed trying to come out and, "_Reducto!_" came two clear voices and the troll was blasted away. Harry went into the room followed by Snape and they cleared Snape's challenge in no time and came to the last room. The Mirror of Erised was not there; Harry had not seen it this time. The Stone though, was hidden and Harry used a wandless revealer spell and saw the Stone in the centre of the room and surrounded by many wards.

Harry motioned to Snape to stay silent just in case Dumbledore had listening charms all over the place and started scrutinizing the wards while Snape watched with an expressionless face but was inwardly very impressed. Harry Potter was proving to so different from what he had envisaged. Since yesterday he had almost forgotten the James Potter connection. He was sarcastic and slightly cynical and he obviously had issues with the Headmaster. Snape would have loved to know about it but he knew Harry would not tell him.

But he trusted the Headmaster. Potter had told him that. He wondered what had happened with Dumbledore for Harry to keep everything away from him. And most importantly who had killed Dumbledore? Who could have, was the more pertinent question. Who would dare to? Snape looked as Harry was working slowly and confidently around the wards; wards Dumbledore had placed. To break that without alerting the ancient Headmaster was something really.

After some time Harry wiped the sweat off his face and stood up and smiled at Snape and went to a particular point and started working on the wards both on the Stone and those surrounding it by moving the wards carefully and pulling the Stone itself. The moment Harry summoned the Stone to him, Snape at once levitated a fake Stone that looked exactly like the one Harry was holding in his hand. Harry looked at Stone and started placing all the wards that he had slowly pushed away from the original.

Wards to break were very easy. To place a powerful ward needed a good amount to power. But to work around the wards¸ to lift them and place them back exactly the same way needed special expertise and knowledge about them. Harry had both and now it was coming in very handy as it had many times in his other life.

Now Harry started placing all the wards in exactly the same position they had been in before. He worked carefully and slowly and then got up after he finally finished. They left the room silently and closing the door carefully both of them walked out. When they came to the chess room Snape turned to Harry. "When will you go to Gringotts?"

"Next weekend. It is a Hogsmeade weekend for third years and above and I am sure I can slip away and go over to Diagon Alley."

"I would like to come with you." Snape told him, staring at him. Harry grinned. So Snape did not trust him still. "Sure. But not into my vault." He said thinking of his parents' portraits.

Snape flushed in anger. "I do not wish to step into your vault Potter. Do not worry. I do not steal. I will wait outside."

Harry sighed in dismay. He had truly blotched by speaking thoughtlessly. "I did not mean it like that."

"It does not matter." Snape said dismissively but his thin face was still flushed with anger and hurt and insult.

"Snape," Harry started softly but Snape said just a bit loudly. "I said it did not matter Potter. I understand very well. I merely wished to accompany you to protect you. That was all."

"My mother's portrait is inside." Harry said softly and Snape stopped the angry snarl that was about to burst from his face. He stood there completely frozen and stared at Harry his black eyes wide with emotions swirling in them and then he turned away.

"Is her portrait activated?" Snape asked after a brief pause, his voice all strangled with the desperate effort to keep it normal.

"No." Harry replied to his back wanting to hit himself as Snape was still keeping his face turned away. "Snape we have to leave." Harry told him when Snape had not spoken anything more and Snape abruptly billowed away.

Harry was cursing himself at his stupid mistake. Her portrait was not activated. What could have been the problem? Snape could have come into the vault. Harry had spoken thoughtlessly and had angered and hurt Snape needlessly. He sighed and followed Snape.

They went up through the trap door – Snape had conjured steps and found Fluffy still sleeping and the soft music still playing. Harry checked his map once again and looked up to see Snape glaring at it, though his eyes were very turbulent and his face was still very pinched and pale. Harry grinned; he knew Snape had realized in that second how the marauders had got away all the time and how they had been able to spot him accurately even when he had been hiding. Harry had heard many, many stories about those times.

They walked out into the corridor and just before the door closed, Harry cancelled the music. As he shut the door behind him, Harry saw the three headed dog Fluffy opening all its six eyes and yawning with all its three mouths. Then Harry shut the door and after Snape locked it, looked at him.

"Walk." Snape told him and set off brusquely not waiting to see if Harry would follow him. Harry walked behind him wondering what Snape was thinking of now. He was still very pale and his eyes were very stormy, something Harry had never seen in the other Snape. Not even when he had seen his mother after so many years.

They walked silently Harry walking behind Snape and soon they were at the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. Snape gestured Harry to go inside, casting the invisibility charm on himself so that the Fat Lady would not see him and Harry softly said the password and waited for the sleeping Fat Lady to open the door.

"Wandering so late my dear!" she asked sleepily opening the door and Harry went inside glancing where he thought Snape would be standing. Harry waved a bit and closed the door and went inside. The common room was empty and Harry walked up and carefully placing his invisibility cloak and map into his trunk, was soon asleep.

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Snape in the meantime was having another drinking session. He had seen Harry off to his common room and then had swiftly walked to the dungeons and had summoned his Firewhisky, a hangover potion and two glasses. He had taken the first glass and thrown it against the wall and had repeated the action with the other glass. He had repaired them and had once again thrown them against the wall. Seeing them shatter a second time, a little bit of anger and frustration left him though and shame and bitterness lingered; they would never go away after all, and repairing the glasses once more, Snape banished one glass and sat down heavily pouring the Firewhisky into the other glass.

Lily's portrait was inside Potter's vault and it was not activated. Why? And why could he Severus not speak to her? He wanted to cry to her and apologize for killing her and seek his redemption and also try to do the impossible, heal just a little bit. Why did Potter refuse? He looked morosely into his drink and it was almost dawn when Snape staggered and somehow managed to place his hand on the hangover potion and gulped it.

Then he stumbled to his bedroom and sprawled out on his bed and was out like a light. Snape slept until well after breakfast and was not awake even for his first class that happened to be seventh year Slytherins and Gryffindors. The seventh years waited silently the whole time and then feeling relieved that Snape had been absent, all of them left for their next class wondering what had happened to Snape.

The theories varied from 'sure he's dead' to 'he's run away with somebody, I think it's that troll, another one came to seek out Snape' to 'he's got a contagious illness because he never washes his hair'. At the end of the first hour a worried and wondering Albus Dumbledore who sent an elf to ask the potions professor to meet him at his office.

The elf went into Snape's chambers and woke him up. Snape blinked and seeing the elf he was about to yell at it when it hastily explained, "professor Dumbledore sir, asked me to tell you to go to his office at once sir." And the elf bowed and disappeared.

Snape blinked and stretched and cast the tempus charm and groaned when he saw the time. Now Dumbledore would chew him out and peer at him and wonder what had happened and Snape knew from now on he would come under Dumbledore's extra watch list.

He snapped his fingers and asking for breakfast went to have a long shower, ignoring Dumbledore's orders. He came out and took a pepper up potion and had his breakfast slowly. Feeling very alert, Snape went to his living room and throwing a pinch of floo powder into the fire that was blazing away and called 'Headmaster's office' and a second later he walked out of the fire gracefully and went around the huge table and stood there.

"Sit down Severus. Are you feeling quite well?" Dumbledore asked him, his blue eyes piercing Snape.

"I am sorry Dumbledore. This will not happen again." Snape told him stiffly not bothering to sit down and staring back at the Headmaster.

"But what happened Severus? I must ask you once again if you are quite well."

"I was slightly unwell last night Dumbledore." Snape told him impatiently, his black eyes carefully looking at the Headmaster betraying nothing. Snape saw to his annoyance that Dumbledore was not buying it, but remained silent.

Both of them were quiet for a long moment and then, "If that is all Dumbledore, I have to leave for my next class; I have already missed my first two." Snape said softly, his black eyes devoid of any emotion. Dumbledore sighed and nodded. "You can come to me for anything Severus. I hope you know that."

Snape nodded once and then turned around and billowed swiftly away. That day he was brutal to everyone and even the Slytherins were very quiet. Snape slowly got a hold of himself and waited for the first Hogsmeade visit after Yule break with both anticipation and dread in his heart.

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Harry in the meantime had perfectly normal days and he went through them handing out subtle and sometimes not so subtle hints at everyone. Most nights in the common room Harry, Hermione, Neville, Ron, the twins, Seamus, Dean and a few other second years would sit chattering about various issues that Harry would pull from The Daily Prophet or from the Self Updating Book of Spells. He had similar sessions during week-ends with Draco, Blaise, Pansy, Millicent Bulstrode, Crabbe and Goyle. Slowly Harry was thinking of drawing the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs by his second or third year.

Usually only Malfoy would join Harry, Hermione and Neville until Harry asked him to invite a few others along. They had come doubtfully. The first time had consisted of a lot of jeering and sneering until Harry, and Neville and Hermione taking their cue from Harry, had jeered and sneered along with the best of them. Then all of them had had settled down affably to really talk. Harry was hoping that this time around there would be less prejudice and attitude unlike the last time when everything had been so difficult and different.

That week-end Harry was sitting in an un-used classroom, their usual meeting place waiting for the Slytherins to arrive. Harry had pulled up this topic from an advertisement in the Daily Prophet and had discussed it loud and long with the Gryffindors the day before and he was planning to do so with the Slytherins now.

They trooped in lead by Malfoy and after some time Harry kick started what he believed to be the most important discussion, one he hoped would catch on throughout the School.

Harry pulled out The Daily Prophet and turned the pages to a small advertisement almost right at the back and in a corner. Clearing his throat Harry read aloud.

_In this week in Wizarding Ancestry there is an exclusive report about muggle borns being descended from squibs and weak witches and wizards who married muggles and moved away from the Wizarding World to live in the muggle world as muggles. They had only squibs until suddenly 'Bang' there is your muggleborn witch or wizard. _

_Is this really the truth and can it be verified? Read this month's Wizarding Ancestry and find out once and for all the secrets of the muggleborns. _

Harry finished reading the small advertisement and looked around. The Slytherins looked blankly at them and then predictably Malfoy started.

"What? How can that be Potter? All muggleborns do not belong with us." He subsided at that point when Harry, Hermione and Neville all glared at him.

"What? Are you saying that Granger is as magical as you, because you are a half – blood Potter?" Pansy pointed out.

Harry shook his head. "No I am not saying so. I am merely reading this article that says so. But I want to find out if there is really some truth in this. I am very interested."

Hermione nodded her head. "I am too. Harry has already asked for a copy of this magazine from Flourish and Blotts. He will receive it this Monday morning. Then I think we should all meet and read it and discuss it among ourselves and also see if they have given a method of finding out our roots."

"In fact I think we should all get together and write our findings to The Daily Prophet with all our names at the bottom. I think that would be great." Harry added grinning at everyone.

"When, now?" Blaise asked him doubtfully wondering how eleven year olds could do all this. The others sounded doubtful also.

"No. we have to read the thing first, understand it and work out everything. Then we can prepare our paper and publish it in the Daily Prophet. What do you guys say?" Harry asked them. All of them agreed and they parted after sometime of simply bickering amicably with each other.

Monday dawned cold and windy and Harry received his copy of the Wizarding Ancestry and looked around excitedly at everyone. Snape and Dumbledore looked at each other when a delivery owl came to Harry and frowned trying to see the magazine Harry was opening, they could not see it from the Head Table but they could see that Harry and his friends were visibly excited. Dumbledore let his eyes roam over the Great Hall and saw quite a few Gryffindors and indeed some Slytherins looking straight at Harry and the magazine.

Harry opened the magazine to search for the article and saw a two page spread about how magic tends to stay within magical communities and muggleborns are actually witches and wizards with latent magical development in a long line of squibs. He did not read it then, but put it away to read it together with everyone later.

This would make for a very interesting reading, Harry thought grinning widely. He hoped to make everyone who cared to listen, think on this. The Wizarding World was so prejudiced on blood status it was bordering on the ridiculous and Harry hoped this article would help.

The whole day Harry was very excited and that evening after dinner Harry was about to leave for the common room to read when Malfoy and Blaise came up to their table.

"You are going to read the article Potter?" Malfoy asked.

When Harry nodded, he said, "Then can you come to the classroom where we meet? We all want to hear this." Malfoy said a tad scornfully.

Harry looked thoughtful for a second and then nodded. "I will bring the other Gryffindors who wish to come. None of you will fight will you?" he asked doubtfully.

Malfoy smirked. "If they don't, we won't." he declared and left Harry to walk back to his table.

Harry looked at the others who had been unashamedly listening and raised his eyebrows.

It was Fred who answered a big smirk on his face. "If they don't we won't." and turned and glared at Ron who was beginning to protest. Ron subsided muttering something to himself about evil Slytherins and how they would hex everyone.

But no one was really listening and after dinner all the Gryffindors followed Harry and he led them to the usual meeting place and found all the Slytherins plus a few second years also present. Harry felt very happy.

There was not much talk while everyone settled down and looked distrustfully at each other and then expectantly at Harry.

"Okay all of you are here to hear this article that I thought was very interesting and most of you agreed with me, when I told you about it. I am going to read this article now and I would be very happy if all of you will remain silent until I finish. Then all of us can talk or argue. But, please no fighting and no hexing."

No one answered but everyone looked at the other House members suspiciously and then turned to Harry.

"This article is written by Actis Ansetor." Harry began.

"_I am a pure blood wizard who has been brought up on the importance of blood status while I was young. I was taught that blood status was the most important factor and keeping that blood pure was the best way to preserve our magic and by extension our world. My family could trace its ancestors up to the middle ages and we were related to many prominent and important families in the Wizarding World._

"_I received my Hogwarts letter when I was eleven and was sorted as my family had been for as long as anyone remembered, into the great House of Salazar Slytherin."_

"Wow!" Malfoy gloated and then sulkily subsided when every Gryffindor and Harry frowned and glared at him.

"_There I spent the next seven years excelling in all subjects, though potions were my forte. I also learnt the Dark Arts like any child from a pure-blood home. When I grew up, I followed my father in our family business which was running an apothecary. As I researched and perfected the delicate art of potion making, my mind would not leave the hold it had somehow had on the issue of pure bloods and those who are outsiders and would be a cause to destroy our world. Our magic."_

"Harry, mate are you sure this is about muggle borns who are descended from witches, wizards and squibs? This looks like something else." George asked him.

"Yeah more like Slytherin worship and other Houses bashing." Fred added.

"And what may I ask is wrong with that? Slytherin is the best of all the Houses and there are no two opinions about it." Malfoy told them pompously.

Ron opened his mouth angrily to tell Malfoy what exactly was wrong with Slytherin when Harry shouted at Fred, George and Malfoy.

"Will you three shut up and let me read for Merlin's sake? Otherwise we will never know what he discovered about blood – pure and mixed." Harry glared at the three of them who looked back innocently at him.

"Please go on ickle Harrykins. You better our mum,"

"And that is a compliment not lightly given." George added to his brother's voice of wisdom and both of them visibly shuddered. Harry simply rolled his eyes and looked at the magazine, "I am going to continue now and I hope all of you will listen first before making assumptions or accusations."

Hearing no response and hoping the rest would not be like the first part that looked like it was more of Voldemort's speech rather than anything beneficial to the muggleborns, Harry started reading once again.

_With that in mind, I started my first research into the genetics of the muggleborn witches and wizards. I took extensive blood samples and conducted many tests that I have given below and after many years of painstaking study, I have found to my shock and astonishment that every muggleborn witch and wizard and I tested and I tested more than a hundred muggleborns; every single one of them had a magical history. Most were descended from squibs, who being shunned and looked down upon in the magical world, made their forays into the muggle world and slowly settled down as muggles._

_A few generations later the descendents had all but forgotten that they had been a part of a world that was magical. They continued to live in the muggle world as muggles with no knowledge of the Wizarding World until one of their children showed magical ability and then they were once again sucked into the Wizarding World, a world that was by now alien and new to them._

_A world that they did not know existed and a world they had not until then believed in._

_Given below are the names of a few muggleborn friends who allowed me to use their names here and the potions that would reveal the ancestry of the muggleborn witch or wizard. So in essence there is no muggleborn. There are only those who moved away from the Wizarding World and are once again being re-inducted._

_Those of who are interested may try these potions; they are very expensive and they have to be brewed very carefully and they take a very long time to brew, I am afraid. But for those who wish to know their roots, this surely is the perfect method to tell the Wizarding World that you are not an outsider but a very integral part of our society."_

Harry finished and below that were some names and the ancestors who were witches or wizards. And further below that were three potions along with the method of preparation. They had to be brewed correctly to find the magical ancestry of a muggleborn witch or wizard.

Everyone looked awed when Harry finished. It was truly spectacular news.

"When can we start Harry and how much will it cost?" Hermione asked him her eyes gleaming with anticipation. The Slytherins were shocked that something like this could even be.

"Potter, may I write my father about this?" Malfoy asked abruptly standing up. All the Slytherins stood up at once a determined look coming over their faces too. They were all going to write their fathers', they decided.

"Sure." Harry told them and Malfoy immediately started walking to the door. Harry turned to the Gryffindors as soon as the Slytherins had all rushed off.

"I will beg Snape to help us." Harry began.

"Wow Harry, you are really two times better than our mum."

"Even she would not approach Snape." George added bowing to Harry.

Hermione smacked them and turned to Harry, "When can you ask Snape Harry?"

"Maybe this week-end. I will show this to him and ask his opinion. He will be busy during the week and will not give us the time of day but on Saturday he should be free." Harry said thoughtfully. This would also help him get out of the castle without suspicion. This might work out best for everything concerned.

The Gryffindors too, left the room and went up to their common room discussing about this startling information and Harry as he chattered along, hoped this would spread to the entire School.

_**End of Chapter – 12**_

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	13. Chapter 13

_**Thank you very much to everyone who read this story and to everyone who took that extra minute to post. Thank you zeynel, killinguwithumbrellas, marie, matt2256 and Harriverse**_

_**I know that I am updating slowly compared to my other fics, but I have planned to re-do the years; they must be similar and yet different; that is taking time. Please bear with me…**_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 13**_

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The next week went along very slowly. Malfoy and all the Slytherins had written their fathers' and many owls were exchanged in the course of the week on this subject. The topic spread like wildfire to all the students and soon there were discussions about the place of muggleborns in Wizarding society. There was no mudblood it seemed and everyone was either a pure-blood or a half-blood.

It went to the teachers courtesy of Snape, who had by the simple means of calling Malfoy to his office had learnt of the latest craze by questioning him. Snape became very thoughtful when he heard how Harry had seen the advertisement and had read out the article and that he would be approaching Snape for help in brewing the potions.

Malfoy had also told him that his father would be very interested in the results if Snape were to brew the potions for Harry and Hermione and indeed the other muggleborns.

Dumbledore was once again shocked and totally puzzled by Harry. He had taken a small article and created something very big from it. Dumbledore himself subscribed to that magazine and he had read the article, but the expense and the labour involved in the making of the necessary potion made him disinterested.

This wizard had bought those two pages in the magazine every year and had published it so that the prejudices would go away, Dumbledore himself had sponsored the expense once or twice, but so far nothing had come out of it, because of the sheer cost and the lack of potion masters who could do this, but Harry had used the same article and turned Hogwarts on her head.

Snape had told him with an ugly scowl on his face that the blasted boy would be coming to him that week-end for help. "Does he have no idea about the cost and labour involved I wonder? Stupid brat." Snape had grumbled when he had come to Dumbledore with information about the latest craze in Hogwarts.

"I am sure you will manage Severus." Dumbledore had smiled sweetly and had left it at that.

The whole week went by in seemingly endless discussions about the potions, their costs and the time to brew them. It would take at least six months to brew the potion and the brewing was a very laborious process, not to mention the cost. Still at the end of the week only the potions and the place of the muggleborns in wizarding society were discussed and most of them now realized if this would prove correct, then there were only pure-bloods and half-bloods now. No muggleborns.

Saturday dawned chilly and dark. Clouds had gathered everywhere and it looked as if it was going to pour. The weather was bitterly cold and Harry and the other boys snuggled deeper into their warm beds, not wanting to get up.

It was very late, almost at the end of breakfast when Harry and Neville along with Ron, Dean and Seamus dragged themselves down to the common room. Almost all the first and second years were there and a good number of the upper years who did not wish to venture out in what looked like a definite downpour with the weather being so cold as well.

Harry and the others met Hermione who was patiently waiting for them and all of them went out and immediately tightened their thick coats and pulled down their woollen hats and placing their hands into their coats, they set off at almost a run and soon entered the Great Hall that was thankfully warm.

Harry had sent a School owl to Snape asking him to meet him by the statue of the one-eyed witch after breakfast and while they ate, Harry told the rest that he would brave his way to Snape and ask him about the potion.

"All of you wait for me in our common room. No sense in waiting anywhere else with the weather as it is now. What do you guys say?" Harry asked them, sipping hot tea.

They nodded at once, the idea of waiting in empty classrooms and loitering in the hallways was not very welcome. It was too cold for that. Harry smiled and chatted as they had breakfast and after finishing, walked back with the others to their common room and there he found Fred and George pouring over the Marauder's Map. Harry stopped for a moment in shock. This would not do and he realized how dangerous it could be if they saw him with Snape or even worse, when he lied to the others to go away on his own.

He had to get the Map from them and change it so that it would never show his name and Snape's name would always appear over his office or potions classrooms. But for that he needed the Map for a few days to work in the charms on to it. And now he just could not risk leaving until he took the Map away from them.

"Harry what are you staring at?"

"That Map and I was wondering if I could compare that with my map and see if they are exactly the same." Harry said easily. "Hey! Fred and George! Can I borrow your map for a few days? I want to check and see if the original is the same with mine."

"Sure Harry. But I think your map will have more places marked than this." Fred told him carefully folding the map and giving it to Harry who took it just as carefully.

"If there is, may I add those places. I will write Sirius and ask him as well." Harry looked questioningly at the twins who beamed in response.

"Sure." They said together and went back to plotting with Lee.

Harry grinned, relieved and started walking towards the staircase to bring his magazine and some parchment and quills for taking down anything that Snape may throw at him. He went into his dorm and taking his bag and opening his trunk, he removed the shrunken box in which he had kept the Stone and the other items that had been horcruxes, and with his invisibility cloak stuffed into his bag as well, Harry was ready.

The common room was very crowded and Harry weaved his way back to Hermione and Neville, and after getting his instructions from Hermione, he set off. Harry walked out of the room and the moment he turned around the corner, he put on his invisibility cloak and changed into a Phoenix. He flashed to the statue of the one-eyed witch and found Snape walking up and down scowling heavily.

Harry landed and changed back and removed the cloak a bit and hissed to Snape. "Psst. Snape, come inside the cloak."

Snape whirled around and scowled and his eyes widened impossibly as he heard Harry calling him to share the cloak.

"Come in fast Snape. If someone sees us there will be trouble." and Harry turned to the one-eyed witch and tapped her. "_Dissendium_."

And Snape scowled even more when he saw the statue open and show a narrow tunnel ahead. Harry went inside and Snape followed fast and Harry closed the statue. Snape refused to walk inside the cloak and he and Harry quickly came up to the end of the tunnel. He turned to Snape who was standing a dark look on his face no doubt remembering his father and Sirius. Harry spoke quickly.

"This comes out in the cellar of Honeydukes. You must come into this so that we can escape unseen. Don't fuss Snape." Snape in response, took out his wand and flicked it twice in a sweeping motion at Harry and then at himself, changing their features. Then Snape flicked two more times to place a notice-me-not charm both at Harry and himself and he glared at Harry and Harry's cloak.

Harry rolled his eyes and slowly lifted the trap door and soon they were outside. Harry slipped on the invisibility cloak at once and Snape sneered all the way to the floo in the main room, where they put two Knuts each and took a pinch of floo powder and landed in The Leaky Cauldron.

Both of them looked very ordinary and a bit shabby and so no one took any notice of them. They went into Gringotts and asked the first goblin to take them to their vault. The goblin glared at them and then held its hand for the key and took them to the cart. The moment Harry got down, he turned to the goblin. "We will be some time here. Will you wait please or will you come back?"

The goblin looked at Harry. "Ring this bell here and I will come." He said abruptly and turned to leave.

Harry and Snape waited until the goblin left and then swiftly went inside his open vault and Harry turned to Snape who was standing there with his arms folded in his chest. "You go inside and place those items and come. I will stand guard here." He said stiffly, his black eyes glinting in anger.

Harry simply caught hold of his hand and dragged him inside not minding his snarling and closed the doors. "I did not mean anything that day Snape. You know that. You can't stand outside, you know. Just in case we are unlucky and Sirius and Remus come to Gringotts today or even Dumbledore. Sirius's vaults are just a little away from here and we cannot leave the door open." He said and waved his wand and the vault lit up beautifully.

Harry led Snape to where the portraits were and left him standing in front of his mother's portrait and went to the back of the vault and taking out the small shrunken box and enlarged it. Harry opened the box and checked the things inside and called out to Snape.

"Snape I am going to place a blood ward on this. Are you okay with it? This way even if this vault is opened somehow and Sirius or Remus comes here, it will be not be too much of a problem." Harry looked around after a minute because Snape had not said a word.

Snape was standing silently in front of his mother's portrait and simply staring at her. His eyes were dead and his face blank. Harry sighed and turned to his task and completed the wards and made the box secure and looked at Snape. Harry's eyes softened in spite of himself and he went to Snape and dragged him away.

"We have to go." He said softly.

"Why have you not activated Li… her?" Snape asked Harry looking beyond him to the walls of the vault.

"I can't activate her alone. My father will have to be activated too, and the first thing they will ask is how I knew the password and then ask for Sirius, and Snape, you know I can't do this now. I can't explain that I am from the future. She and my dad will have to wait." Harry told him shaking his head at him.

"Wait until when?" Snape asked him.

"Until I am seventeen and get hold of the vaults. That is what I have told the goblins to say. I need this time without the added pressures of my parents. Believe me they can be very tough." Harry told him.

Snape stared at him in disbelief. "You do not wish to meet your mo…parents?"

"No, Snape, I do not wish to meet with my mother or my dear father." Harry rolled his eyes and grinned at Snape's shock. "I have had many years with them Snape. I found them," here Harry's eyes clouded and Snape became more alert but Harry did not say anything, "here on my seventeenth birthday when I took control of my vault and activated them. After the war I spent many years with them and in fact it was mum who scolded me because I was terrible at potions and made me learn from the basics until I was okay according to her. So I am not deeply affected by this."

Snape did not know what to say. "Did Li…Lily talk to me?"

Harry was stumped for a second and Snape's face shrivelled with guilt and pain. His black eyes looked haunted, with self – disgust written all over his face. Harry suddenly felt incredibly sad and he smiled softly. "She did and very affectionately too. She seemed to have forgotten the fallout of the past. And I will not say a word more."

Harry turned his face away to walk towards the door, unable to face the gratitude in Snape's face at his remarks. His thin face had bloomed and he had looked at Harry his eyes and face shining with gratitude and so many emotions flashed through them, in that brief moment before Snape himself turned away. Snape did not say a word more either and he went to the corner to inspect the shrunken box, he had noticed Harry placing them there apparently and then came back and stood silently with Harry.

Harry checked their glamour and stepped out of the vault swiftly extinguishing the lights and closed it securely the moment Snape was out. Then he went to the railing and rang the small bell there. They were soon out of the wizarding Bank and they apparated to Hogsmeade. Once they got there, they walked swiftly towards Honeydukes and crept into the trapdoor without a problem. They walked swiftly through the tunnel and reaching the one-eyed witch, Harry carefully checked his map and finding it safe, removed their glamour, and walked out of the one-eyes witch and went straight to the dungeons.

Snape went around, to sit in his chair and Harry threw himself on the other chair and grinned at Snape, when he scowled at Harry's familiarity. Harry took out the old map and laid it out on the desk and told Snape about the problem he had.

"I was so scared Snape when I saw them today. If they had seen us together and going down the tunnel together, it would have created so many complications." Harry told him.

"And since when did you think you could just treat my office like yours? You will not sit down until I ask you to. Give me that map." Snape told him and glared at Harry who did not even seem to register anything other than 'give me the map' and scowled before he started asking Harry about the spells that went into the map.

They spent the next two hours going through the map and came up with a few spells that could be tried on it that would mask Harry's position and Snape's position in the school.

"But the best thing to do would be to manipulate it properly every time instead of it not functioning in regards to my name or yours. I would like to tell the map where I am and would like the map to make the adjustments automatically. That would be the best. Can we do something like that?" Harry asked Snape who was frowning over some calculations and nodded absently.

"I think we can. Can you leave this with me?" Snape asked him finally looking up at Harry from where he had been frowning over the map and making many notes on a parchment.

"I don't dare to. What if either twin asks me? I would make them suspicious and that I wish to avoid at any cost." Harry shook his head. Snape nodded reluctantly and made some more notes in his parchment and then pushed the map to Harry.

"I will go through a few spells and we will change it then. Now about the potion. Do you have any idea about the expense or the labour involved in this?" Snape's black eyes pierced Harry who rolled his eyes.

"I have the money Snape and I want you to do this for me. In fact I will come and help you every day." At Snape's raised eyebrows, Harry laughed. "Yes, I do know about this potion and how it has to be monitored and how the ingredients have to be added everyday. In my other life I had this made by the Ministry and checked out every muggleborn and proved them to be descendents of squibs and sometimes even descended from prominent families. I want to do this now and make these blood purists think. Hopefully they would even stop targeting the muggleborns. Voldemort would have to play a different card when he resurrects. And this way I can meet you legitimately and talk to you or warn you." Harry pointed out.

"Get out of my office and tell the others I questioned you at length and I have asked you to come prepared in more detail about the potions and discuss it with me next Saturday. I will tell Dumbledore this as well."

"Thanks Snape and bye. Hopefully we can start this by next year, so that we have the whole year to brew it." Harry said cheekily and laughed when Snape said, "Ten points from Gryffindor for rudeness to a professor." in a perfectly serious manner, and still smiling Harry walked out, after carefully placing the map inside.

Harry went out into the corridor and felt the bitter cold at once. He walked swiftly to the Gryffindor common room and was greeted by Hermione and Neville enthusiastically. Almost all the first and second years were there they spent the week end happily. In fact the rest of the month and the next month also seemed to go without incident.

Harry was meeting Snape every week-end, mostly on Saturdays to work both, on the potion and also the map. They completed the changes on the map by blood binding the map with Harry and Snape, and adding obedience charms, a tad illegal but almost unnoticeable and pretty accurate.

Harry told Snape that he should never catch the twins if they came at night because that would make them suspicious of the map and they would then start taking it apart at the seams. It took some time for Snape to agree to that, but eventually he gave in, very unhappily, though.

"But I will take points from Gryffindor every time I see them where they should not be." He warned Harry, who grinned at Snape.

Snape always tried to talk Harry into revealing something about the future, mainly about Dumbledore and himself, but Harry so far had avoided his questions and had played around then carefully.

Quirrell was still stuttering along and Harry was carefully watching him and Hagrid. He was waiting for Hagrid to get that egg and this time he had told Snape about it and had asked Snape to take care for him.

"Hagrid will meet a disguised Quirrell and in exchange for a dragon egg, Hagrid will tell him how to get past Fluffy. The moment he does that, Quirrell will wait for a day until Dumbledore is away from the School and go for it. That is the day we have to watch for and hope our spells will take care of Quirrell and his pretty Master." Harry told him.

"Don't talk of the Dark Lord like that Potter." Snape admonished him and continued to place spells on the parchment a job, which he was currently employed in.

"Will you keep watch?" Harry asked him and was satisfied when Snape nodded.

The days slipped into weeks and Harry & Co. were breezing through them. Harry in particular was very happy. This was so different in contrast to his other life that Harry could almost believe he was living a Voldemort free life already. He had given the map back to the twins and had added a few new passages to it and they had been thrilled.

Harry started knowing so many others in Gryffindor this time around. Last time he hadn't known anyone apart from his dorm mates and year mates from the other Houses, and that too mostly only by name. Apart from Colin Creevy and very few others Harry had hardly known anybody. This time Harry went out of his way to meet other students and generally have a good time. Quidditch matches came and went and with both Dumbledore present for every Quidditch match and Snape as the referee every time Gryffindor played, Harry had no trouble from Quirrell at all and he caught the snitch every time he played.

He made sure to spend a lot of time with Malfoy and the others Slytherins who by now were very comfortable with Hermione, Neville and Harry. Neville had already changed beyond recognition and Harry was thrilled for him. Ron remained the same and he and Malfoy provoked each other as if they were magically bound to do so and they suffered for it.

Ron when confronted usually responded by snarling at Harry that all Slytherins were evil and Harry would be better off not talking to the slimy snakes. Malfoy was not much better and after a while Harry simply washed his hands off Ron, for the time being. Ron would come around a bit later, he knew and Harry was willing to wait. The twins on the other hand had not minded meeting with the Slytherins occasionally and they never started anything on their own and so they were also more or less left alone by the Slytherins as well.

Quirrell gave the egg to Hagrid ten days before Easter and Snape was keeping a close watch over it. The day it hatched, Snape gate crashed into Hagrid's hut, telling Hagrid he needed some acromatula venom and would Hagrid be able to provide for it. Seeing the dragon brought Snape to his sarcastic best, but, unfortunately for him, almost all of it went over Hagrid's head. Then Snape convinced Hagrid to gift the dragon to the dragon preserve at Romania. Hagrid was in tears about it, but agreed and with full knowledge of Dumbledore, sent it off to Charley Weasley.

Harry went to Grimmauld Place for a boisterous Easter and had a great week with Sirius and Remus. They did all kinds of silly things and once again Harry invited Hermione, Neville, Ron and the twins to spend a day with each other.

That day, needless to say was spent almost completely pranking each other and generally having fun. Ron was much gratified when Sirius loudly proclaimed all Slytherins as evil incarnate and he and Ron spent a good hour Slytherin bashing while the others rolled their eyes and made sarcastic remarks.

Getting back to School, Harry studied and played hard and had a happy time as the weeks sped past without incident. He wrote the end of the year exams extremely well. There was less than a week left for close of School, when Dumbledore left the School one morning after breakfast. Snape had told him by the simple method of looking at Dumbledore and looking straight at Harry and sneering. Harry had smiled widely at Snape and Snape had scowled but had reluctantly nodded once and turned his head away.

Harry and his friends went around the School lazily. Exams had finished the day before and Harry was very relaxed and he was currently engaged in playing with his map. Actually he was looking for Quirrell. He saw Quirrell go into the forbidden third floor corridor and shouted, "Hey look professor Quirrell is going to the forbidden third floor corridor. Come on, let us go there and see what exactly there is in there."

Harry jumped up and looked excitedly at the others. Neville stood up at once, a visible testimony to the change in his character and Hermione got up a little slowly. Malfoy and Pansy who were lazing along with them also stood up at once and looked eager to go.

All of them walked back inside the School and climbed up to the third floor. They stood there pouring over Harry's map. Malfoy grabbed it from him and exclaimed, "Look Potter¸ Quirrell is moving deeper and he is stopping and moving again and wow there is something called Fluffy and a troll there Potter." Malfoy was almost screaming excitedly and at that time, Snape came, his black robed billowing behind him and seeing so many students in the forbidden corridor, he stopped abruptly.

"What are all of you doing here?" he hissed in anger. "Potter!" he barked. "All this is your fault. Ten points from Gryffindor."

"Sir, I saw professor Quirrell coming here and he was looking very suspicious Sir. So all of us came to check but we did not know how to open the door." Malfoy said smoothly, holding the map behind him. Snape had already seen it but did not say anything.

"Get out of here all of you, get out!" Snape said his black eyes flashing at Harry, asking him what in the world he was doing.

Harry was doing what Snape had come to do. Make sure Quirrell never escaped. All the first years stood there uncertainly for a minute when suddenly, Harry cried out grasping his forehead. "_**Ahhhhhh**_!" he screamed, as he fell and all of them saw a horrible sprit come out of the closed door. It had red eyes and looked extremely malevolent and swirled around the screaming boy who was now on his knees and clutching his forehead that was beginning to bleed, and swirling around all of them who were transfixed to their places in sheer terror, abruptly entered Harry.

Snape was shaking with fear when he saw the sprit and recognized it as his Master. He did not dare to approach Harry when the sprit was swirling around Harry and he almost fainted when it went into Harry. So the protections did not hold, and Snape felt like crying. He removed his wand and was about to cast an exorcism spell, when Harry stopped screaming and opened his eyes.

Snape's wand fell to the ground. Harry's eyes were red. All of them stood there shaking in sheer terror. Snape could not move for a second, but he looked at Hermione, "Go and get the Headmaster and any other professor you find here at once." He said still shaking badly and summoning his wand he was about to stun Harry/ Voldemort when Harry spoke, "Don't Sir. Don't curse." Then he screamed again and shut his eyes, his hands clawing at the scar. Then Harry opened his eyes and looked viciously at Snape. His eyes were red and terrible.

"Severus." said the voice, Snape had hoped he would never ever hear in his life, and watched with terror as that sprit in Harry's body waved Harry's hand and stunned all the terrified first years before telling Snape, "Kill this boy at once."

The voice was cold, high and inhuman and Snape dropped his wand again, this time deliberately. He slowly bent down praying for someone to come and interfere and picked up his wand. No one came and Snape slowly lifted his hand and spoke, his voice shaking with fear, "Master," Snape bowed deeply buying as much time as he could, "I will do as you command."

He desperately looked around as if checking; still no one had come to help and Snape was about to cast the exorcism spell and reveal himself to be a traitor to the Dark Lord, but, before he could cast the spell, there was a loud scream from Harry in Voldemort's voice and the sprit came barrelling out of Harry screaming in agony and moved away still screaming with pain.

Snape waited only until the sprit vanished from the corridor before he enervated all the others and bent down and lifted Harry into his arms and ran as if demented towards the infirmary. Draco and Neville paused only for a second before they too ran ahead of him screaming at anyone who was in the way in the corridors and with Pansy running behind them, they reached they reached he infirmary in record time and Snape gently put Harry down on the nearest bed and placing a silencing ward around the unconscious boy who looked pale, with his scar still bleeding for a second before he screamed. "Pomfrey!"

Madam Pomfrey came running out of her office and she gasped when she saw Harry lying down as if dead, his scar bleeding. Snape was already running diagnostic tests on him and he stopped when Pomfrey came swiftly to Harry and started running her wand over him

"He is quite alright Severus. He seems to be only magically exhausted. Two days here with a lot of replenishing potions should make him fit and fine. What happened to him?" Pomfrey asked, but Snape did not answer, instead he simply nodded once and placed special wards around Harry, including sprit repelling wards and then flicking his wand and making a cut on his palm, he placed a blood ward on him as well.

"I will have to be here whenever you wish to feed him with food or potions Poppy. I am sorry but I will get confirmation from the Headmaster in a short while. Do you need to feed him any potions now?"

Pomfrey was livid, but Snape did not budge and finally she had to agree, snapping, "I will be talking to Albus about this, you may be sure." She administered the potions to Harry, and Snape closed the ward, checking for Harry's wand and carefully placing it within the ward. Then he turned around and billowed away as fast as he could to the office of Dumbledore, not caring about the first years still standing there in sheer horror.

Meanwhile Hermione had found McGonagall and both of them had run to the third floor corridor and not finding anyone there, McGonagall used the point me charm and tracked Harry to the infirmary. Snape had already left by then and after McGonagall got everything she could from the terrified first years, she asked all of them to follow her; straight to the Headmaster's office.

_**End of Chapter – 13**_

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	14. Chapter 14

_**Thank you, to everyone who has read this story so far and to everyone who took a minute to review! Thank you, Raven 2090, Ivan the Great, **_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 14**_

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Snape set off almost at a run and he was halfway to Dumbledore's office when he saw Dumbledore looking extremely agitated and coming swiftly almost at a run, just like him. "Ah! Severus, the protections have been breeched around the Stone. Come with me." Dumbledore said, not even noticing that Snape too, was equally agitated and was heading towards his office.

Snape stopped abruptly and then ran with him, wanting to see the state of Quirrell, after Voldemort had finished with him. He suppressed a small shiver as he thought of all that the Dark Lord could have done to Quirrell, even in his sprit form. Dumbledore and Snape ran to the third floor corridor and they missed McGonagall and the other terrified first years who were just reaching the gargoyle to go up to the Headmaster's office.

Dumbledore and Snape reached the door and Dumbledore opened it and flicked his wand and there was soft music starting to play and Snape going inside saw Fluffy asleep on the floor. He was against his will very impressed by Harry's working of the wards. Harry had removed the Stone, placed a false Stone and replaced the wards once again and Dumbledore never knew and here Quirrell had alerted Dumbledore, the moment he had breached the wards.

They fell through the trap door and Dumbledore made a complicated twist of his wand with some silent spell and all the challenges set by the professors vanished and Dumbledore and Snape ran through, to the room where the Stone was placed.

The Stone was lying on the floor to one side and Quirrell lay very dead on the floor. There was blood from his ears, eyes, nose and mouth indicating he had been tortured. His face was horribly contorted and he looked to be in terrible anguish as he died.

Snape and Harry had placed no spells to torture Quirrell and knowing this to be the work of the Dark Lord, Snape shuddered visibly, thinking about the torture Voldemort would have subjected him to before he died. They, Harry and Snape had set spells only for the capture of Quirrell, knowing full well that he would die when the possession would come to an end. But Voldemort had become angry because the Stone was false and he had punished Quirrell terribly.

Dumbledore bent down and looked deeply at Quirrell and then sighed heavily at the waste of yet another life because of Voldemort. Then he summoned the Stone and suddenly stiffened. "Severus this is not the Stone."

"What!" Snape exclaimed. The Stone they had conjured was exactly like the original and Snape wanted to know how Dumbledore found out so quickly.

"The Stone would hum a little with my magic Severus." Dumbledore said sombrely. "Quirrell is dead and the Stone is gone." Dumbledore looked very worried. Dumbledore spent some ore time there looking at everything very closely and unable to find anything, another thing Snape was impressed with, Harry's skill in working the wards so successfully that he could remove the original safely. Dumbledore was unable to find anything from his inspection and that showed Snape how good Harry was.

They went up and Snape turned to Dumbledore as they walked up to his office. "I have something about Potter and this Stone and Quirrell business to tell you. I was coming to meet you about this when I saw you and decided to see Quirrell for myself."

The seriousness of Snape's tone and exactly what he had expressed made Dumbledore stop in his tracks and turn to Snape. "Severus," he said urgently his eyes piercing Snape, "What happened? And how is Harry?"

"Potter is fine and I will not say anything more until we reach your office." Snape said and looked around. Dumbledore saw the look of fear on Snape's face and noticed for the first time how dishevelled and different Snape looked. He did not say a word more but simply walked quickly to his office.

They went up silently and Dumbledore saw Snape cast the sprit spell on the staircase and frowned. Then they were entering the office when Dumbledore saw McGonagall and the first years who, were with her apparently.

"Oh professor good you are here." She said and then she saw Snape and her eyes widened. "Where were you all this while?"

"With me Minerva." Dumbledore went to his chair and flicked his wand and chairs appeared for everyone.

"Yes what may I do for them Minerva. They are with you, I presume?" he asked and then looking at Snape, "I have something of importance to…,"

"They were there Albus." McGonagall burst out unable to keep her professional façade. Dumbledore drew his breath in sharply. "What? Where?" he asked looking at Snape. Snape spoke slowly.

"They were standing by the door Albus. I was patrolling the corridor and had gone to the end and was coming back when I saw them by the door. All of them with Potter." The whole first years shuddered and Hermione and Pansy were still crying.

"I went near them and told them off and they told me that they saw Quirrell come in looking very suspicious and they had followed him. I told all of them to get out when Potter suddenly screamed and fell to his knees, clutching his forehead. And a second later," Snape shuddered. "The Dark Lord's sprit came swirling out of the closed door and entered Potter. I will tell you the rest when the children are not here. It is not appropriate for them."

Dumbledore was shocked. The protections were not effective was the one thought that kept going around in his head again and again.

"Do you have anything to add?" he asked them and all of them shook their heads. "Then you may leave and please go back to your common rooms and stay there today."

All of them left at once, relieved to go.

The moment the first years left, McGonagall and Dumbledore looked anxiously at Snape who was now slightly shaking. "The Dark Lord entered Potter, Dumbledore and Potter screamed once more and then he opened his eyes, only they were blood red now."

"What!!!" both Dumbledore and McGonagall exclaimed at the same time. Though McGonagall had heard it from the other first years this was confirmation that Harry was possessed by Voldemort.

Snape nodded his eyes haunted, "Yes and he called out to me. 'Severus' he said in that cold voice of his and turned around and stunned all the others and then he said 'kill the boy'. I needed to do obey his commands and at the same time I needed to get him out of Potter and Dumbledore, I was never so helpless in my life. I deliberately dropped my wand again and slowly picked up the wand and was about to cast the exorcism spell, waiting until that last minute.

"That second the Dark Lord suddenly came screaming from Potter and left. I took Potter in my arms and ran to the infirmary and placed him on a bed and used the Dark Arts and Blood Magic to create wards with my blood so that not even Pomfrey would be able to access Potter without my presence. I also placed a monitoring charm and a ward to repel sprits. Dumbledore, Lily Potter's protections don't seem to work."

Snape was trembling with fear by the time he had finished speaking and his eyes were wide and terrified. McGonagall was also very scared, but Dumbledore was the most worried. This showed that Voldemort could possess Harry but Lily's sacrifice had saved Harry but not before he was severely hurt. Snape was terrified and Dumbledore had not seen that look on his face since that day when Snape had come running to him to inform him about Voldemort attacks on the Potters and to surrender to him.

And Voldemort had asked Snape to kill Harry. It was a blessing that Harry had managed to throw Voldemort out. Dumbledore frowned at that point. How did Harry throw Voldemort out? How _could_ he?

"How did Harry throw out Voldemort?" Dumbledore asked Snape. Snape blinked and then frowned thinking very quickly for an answer. He could not come up with one. "I don't know." He said helplessly looking at Dumbledore, showing his frustration at not knowing so many things. They sat there silently for sometime

"Someone in the School has stolen the Stone Minerva." Dumbledore told her and she gasped, clutching her chest as though it would burst.

"You-Know-Who?" she managed to ask her throat very tight.

"No. I don't think so. Severus?" Dumbledore turned to Snape who nodded thoughtfully.

"I also do not think so. The Dark Lord was enraged and the way Quirrell died and he way the Stone was carelessly thrown to one side shows that the Dark Lord also knew this was the false Stone. That was why he was so angry and being inside Potter did not help much." Snape shuddered slightly; he could not help it.

They sat there for some time and then stood up collectively to see Harry who was still behind wards and unconscious. They walked silently to the infirmary and looked at the still sleeping Harry and checked him for any residue of dark magic once Snape removed his wards, and Dumbledore stepped back relieved. Harry had no residue dark magic and his scar that he received through the rebounded killing curse all those years back was also the same as it had been when Dumbledore had checked it before he had placed Harry with the Dursleys.

Dumbledore called for Poppy and told her that Harry would be under his wards from now on. "I will key you in Poppy and you will be able to medicate him. And," he smiled seeing her glare at Snape who did not even bother to respond, "Severus was correct in placing wards around the young Potter. Quirrell was possessed and the sprit inside him had tried to attack Harry. That was why Severus placed the wards."

Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall left the infirmary leaving a peacefully sleeping Harry and went to the third floor corridor once more. Dumbledore had the stone with him and right from the moment they entered the inner room where the Stone had been, Dumbledore started scrutiny of the wards more carefully. McGonagall and Snape assisted him but none were able to find any place where the wards had been breached.

"Someone has worked around my wards." Dumbledore said his eyes almost turned inside with deep thought as he ran through all persons he knew who were experts in warding. And he could find no one who would be able come unnoticed into Hogwarts and dismantle all the other security measures and kill the troll and then work around his wards, remove the Stone and then place the wards once again.

That was the work of a master and he, Dumbledore was at a loss to know who did this and went off with the Stone.

Snape and McGonagall looked at each other. "Who could have?" they asked simultaneously.

"I do not know and it is worrying me." Dumbledore replied, his face in an uncharacteristic frown.

"Did you not have a tracking charm on the Stone?" Snape asked him as they walked back. Dumbledore nodded his head. "Yes I did Severus, but the charms are not working. I had a tracking charm as well as a location charm, but both were placed on the false Stone very expertly, if I may say so, and they broke when Voldemort took the false Stone through Quirrell."

Snape was so relieved in his mind the Stone was safe from the Dark Lord and he was silent, waiting for Dumbledore or McGonagall to say something. But no one had anything to say and after sitting there for some time Snape slowly got to his feet. "What should I do Dumbledore? The Dark Lord now knows I am still here, and I only hope and pray he still thinks I am with him."

Dumbledore smiled at Snape. "He will, Severus. You have been very fortunate. The way you acted would have made Voldemort believe that you are still a death eater."

They parted on that note and Dumbledore sent word once more to Sirius and Remus who came running and sat with Harry. Sirius scowled when Hermione and Neville told him about how Snape had scooped Harry in his arms and had run to the infirmary and placed him under safe wards not even trusting Pomfrey. Dumbledore had not explained in such detail and Sirius was alarmed at the urgency Snape had exhibited. He had shuddered when Dumbledore told him about whom it had been who had tried to possess and destroy Harry.

"So the protections don't hold. That's one good thing that came out of this mess, I feel. Harry need not go back to the Dursleys, ever." Sirius told him.

"He cannot go back there Sirius." Dumbledore agreed. "I will come to Grimmauld Place and place more wards and I believe Harry should be safe there."

That was final and decided and Harry, when he woke up two days later, was thrilled with the news. The possession of Harry by Voldemort was almost like it had been in the Department of Mysteries where Harry's love for Sirius had driven out Voldemort, who after that never tried to possess Harry or link to his mind.

This time too, Harry had thought of Sirius and his love for Harry, his fierce protection and had brought out the love he had felt for his kids and Ginny and Voldemort had screeched out, unable to stay inside of Harry's head a minute longer.

"I think this is the best news ever Sirius." Harry declared after he had heard that he never needed to go back to the Dursleys and his home would permanently be No.12, Grimmauld Place.

"I think so too kid." Sirius had grinned, his wide smile almost splitting his face into two.

Harry did not use the train but flooed back to Grimmauld Place for the summer. "What are you going to do for the summer Harry?"

"Laze around." Harry replied promptly. All of them laughed and Sirius shooed Harry to his room to lie down until lunch.

Harry had met his friends in the morning that day and even Malfoy, Blaise and Pansy had come to see him. Sirius had frowned at Malfoy and the other Slytherins but Harry had greeted all of them with enthusiasm. They came along with the Gryffindors; Hermione, Neville, Ron, Dean, Seamus and the twins and Lee Johnson.

All of them had a hilarious half hour before they left with many promises to write and keep in touch. Sirius had tackled Harry about being so openly friendly with Malfoy.

"Harry this is not right. Malfoy is evil and I really do not think any Slytherin is good." Sirius told him frowning in concern.

Harry sighed and smiled. "This is very personal for me Sirius. Ron keeps telling me everyone in Slytherin is bad, and everyone whose parents, brothers and sisters are death eaters are also evil. I asked him then if I should run away from you. He spluttered and stammered but he would not change his views. So I told him, dark families or dark parents or dark creatures do not mean evil kids. That's why I go out of my way to be friends with the Slytherins. And so far no one there has tried to harm me. Malfoy in fact came to me and told me that no one from their House was responsible for the broom, only for the bludger and he has stopped calling Hermione a mudblood too, because I told him I will fight him because my mother was one."

Harry took a deep breath after he finished and looked at Sirius. He was gaping along with Remus at Harry's sensitivity and maturity. While he was very proud, Sirius was also very worried and he really could not find anything to say at all. So kept silent but was planning to keep a close watch on the Malfoys and the other Slytherins.

After he reached Grimmauld Place, Harry emerged from his room only at lunch. Sirius and Remus were already there with an appetizing aroma rising from the table. Sirius had not allowed Dumbledore to ask Harry anything about what had happened outside the third floor corridor until he was sure Harry was alright. He had been very firm and he promised Dumbledore he would invite him and McGonagall who was Harry's Head of House and who knew about what had happened to Quirrell and Harry. Dumbledore, Harry learned had not announced anything about Quirrell at all, at the leaving feast.

And Harry also learnt that Slytherin had won the cup this year instead of Gryffindor. Harry was thinking about all this as he came down and sat for lunch. "How are you Harry?" Sirius asked and Harry smiled tiredly.

"Very tired. I feel so exhausted. When Voldemort came into me he was beating into my brain, Sirius. He was screaming into my head and telling me that he would kill me. I thought I was going to die and I simply thought of you and Remus and the kindness and love you gave me and suddenly Voldemort screeched very loudly in my head and then I fainted." Harry told them, filling his plate.

Sirius listened to this with amazement and felt so humbled and not knowing how to react he bent down and started eating. "When shall we call the Headmaster, Harry?" Remus asked after some time.

"Anytime Remus. The sooner the better and I can tell him everything while it is still fresh in my mind." Harry told them as he got up to keep the plates in the sink. Remus was right behind him, shooing him away and tackled the dished with a flick of his wand.

Sirius was still very quiet and Remus cleared his throat and said, "Perhaps, we can invite them for lunch tomorrow."

"Them?" Harry asked. "Who else is coming?" wondering if Sirius had also asked for Snape. Though that would be a miracle of the highest order, Harry thought with a smile to himself.

"Well McGonagall also wanted to come." Remus told him.

"Can you invite Snape also?" Harry asked him. Sirius turned incredulous eyes to him and spoke for the first time after Harry had told him how he had got rid of Voldemort's sprit from his head.

"Whatever for Harry? You want the greasy git to come and defile our home? No way." Sirius said adamantly, scowling at the very thought of Snape stepping into his house.

"Because I want to thank him personally. He took me into his arms and ran to the infirmary and saved my life Sirius. Surely I should thank him. Please call him too."

Sirius scowled even more and Remus intervened just in case Sirius would say something he would regret later. "Why not Harry? That is an admirable thought." And glared slightly at Sirius when he started to protest.

So that was decided and Remus flooed to Hogwarts and spoke to Dumbledore and asked him to come along with McGonagall and Snape. Dumbledore was astonished at an invitation for Snape and frowned when he heard Harry's words. They were too mature. But then, he was slowly realizing that Harry was not a normal person.

Dumbledore agreed to come over for lunch the next day along with McGonagall and Snape whom he was sure would be able to come and Remus left to come back to Grimmauld Place with the news that all three professors would come over for lunch the next day.

Sirius scowled all through that day and sat silently sullen. Harry tried to drag him into conversations but left it as a bad job a little while later. Remus kept glaring at Sirius and all three of them were pretty silent the whole day. Harry escaped to his bedroom as soon as possible and was asleep very soon.

He woke up early, the next morning and went down to find Sirius and Remus already up. Harry greeted both of them and sat down and looked at Sirius. "If you feel very badly Sirius then tell Dumbledore not to bring Snape. I never meant to hurt you." Harry said softly.

Sirius, who had mumbled back when Harry had greeted him with a cheery good morning, looked up startled at this. He saw Harry looking anxiously at him and flushed with shame.

"Hey! It is no trouble Harry. It is just that I really, really dislike the greasy git." Sirius told him and cheered up visibly trying to put Harry at ease.

"Sorry Sirius. I seem to keep going against you." Harry said in a small voice. "I like Snape."

There was an uncomfortable silence after that statement and Sirius cleared his throat many times. Harry for his part wanted to be able to be accessible to Snape whenever he felt it was necessary to meet him for their work and Harry felt this was the best way to put it. By looking as if he was admiring Snape. And he could shock a lot of people on the way then so be it, Harry thought grinning. And he grinned even more widely when he thought of how Snape would take this. He would probably retch and take points from Gryffindor for impertinence and be even more horrible thinking he had gone soft.

Then again, he might think this was Harry beginning to get back at him for the all the unknown things of Harry's other life. Both were attractive in Harry's opinion and he waited eagerly for Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape to arrive.

They came promptly at lunch and Sirius greeted Dumbledore and McGonagall with a smile and Snape with a scowl. Snape curled his lips in disdain at Sirius and smirked when Sirius snarled. Luckily Remus intervened and placing a calming hand on Snape, he led Sirius away and smiled pleasantly at Snape.

Snape sneered at Remus in return and went to stand alongside McGonagall. His eyes roved around and found Harry and his eyes narrowed as he looked at Harry.

Harry was beaming and he came forward and hugged Snape briefly and stepped back laughing his head off inside. "Thank you so much sir. Sirius and the others told me that you saved my life. Thank you sir."

There was no answer. Snape was flabbergasted and looked as if he wanted to runaway. Sirius had staggered and he abruptly sat down unable to believe what he was seeing. Remus was shocked that someone could hug Snape and still be alive. That was surely the miracle of the century. It now took precedence even over Harry surviving the killing curse.

McGonagall looked shocked as well, her mouth open very unattractively and Dumbledore was trying hard not to laugh seeing the various expressions of those in that room. Harry was beaming looking at Snape very proudly. Snape was looking horrified and Dumbledore bit his lips once again. Sirius was looking as if the bottom had fallen out of his world and Remus was trying not to look as if he was shocked. McGonagall mouth was still open and Dumbledore smiled gently, his blue eyes telling those who knew him well, that this was one of the moments he would treasure for life.

"That was very nice of you Harry." Dumbledore said his voice slightly shaky, only slightly but Snape turned to him and glared at him. Dumbledore looked very innocently at him, though his eyes were now screaming with laughter. Snape scowled, "Well Potter is okay and so I think I will leave." He said in a much strangled voice, glaring at Harry, his eyes promising retribution later.

Harry smiled innocently and protested at once. "But sir, please stay." And looked pleadingly at Sirius and Remus and for good measure at McGonagall who simply recoiled and at Dumbledore who just could not help it and grinned widely at Harry.

"Of course Severus will stay." And made Sirius, who had looked up in hope that maybe Snape would leave, plunge into helplessness of being unable to fight Snape because of Harry and tried to stand up and look normal.

Everyone was looking awkwardly at each other except Harry who was smiling, Dumbledore who was grinning and Snape who was doing an admirable combination of scowling and snarling and daring anyone to say a word.

Dumbledore clapped his hands when the silence threatened to get oppressive and beamed at everyone. "May we sit down Sirius?" he asked softly and Sirius jumped up flushing at his lack of manners and went to work, getting the drinks and a butterbeer for Harry. Snape declined to have anything; he was probably suspicious that Sirius might have poisoned it even though Dumbledore and McGonagall were also having the elf made red wine from the same bottle.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled like mad and he was beginning to like Harry more and more, he felt. Harry was smart, intelligent and he would bet his last Knut that Harry had hugged Snape just for the reactions of all of them. There was something he could not put his hand on Harry just now, but he knew it would come. In the meantime, he felt very privileged to witness what had happened today. It really showed how mature Snape had become. A few years ago this would have merited a crucio at the very least, if not a killing curse.

Dumbledore unfortunately snorted as he visualized grateful children hugging a hero Snape and pulled his wine through his nose. Everyone looked as he struggled with himself not saying a word. Snape especially was flushed with rage. Dumbledore himself was startled. It was many decades since he had lost control like this.

"I am sorry." He said solemnly. No one answered and Sirius stood up and led all of them to come into the kitchen feeling the sooner he could pile them with food, the sooner they could leave.

All of sat down quietly, the atmosphere having the look of a funeral rather than anything else and ate silently. Only Dumbledore and Harry attempted at any conversation and soon they too fell silent. Snape was very careful with his food, generally taking anything only after Dumbledore or McGonagall had helped themselves, and the dishes they did not touch, he also did not touch.

They finished the meal in record time, Snape finishing first. Then all of them trooped out into the drawing room and sat there and Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Harry," he said and his voice became serious, "can you tell us what happened in the third floor corridor?"

Harry nodded. "Yes sir. We noticed Quirrell," Harry shuddered and Sirius came closer and put his arm protectively around Harry and squeezed his shoulder. Harry smiled his thanks to Sirius and turned to Dumbledore who was looking at him, his blue eyes piercing through him.

"We followed Quirrell and found that he had gone into the forbidden room and we were debating what to do when this thing came out and suddenly entered me." Sirius held him more closely and Remus moved closer to Harry on his other side. He three professors were listening raptly.

"The feeling was horrible. Harry now shuddered genuinely, his eyes darkening in remembered fear. "It went into my head and was screaming inside me and I felt that my head would burst." Harry's voice was very low and everyone was straining to hear. "I knew I would die in a few seconds and I thought of Sirius and Remus who took me in and gave me so much love and suddenly sir, the thing screamed louder and pushed out of my head and then I don't remember sir."

Harry cuddled into Sirius, his hug comforting him. Voldemort had been truly terrible and Harry never wanted to repeat this ever again.

The others were silent for a few minutes and then Dumbledore stood up and following his example Snape and McGonagall stood up too. "Take rest Harry and thank you for telling us what happened. Enjoy your holidays and we shall see you on the 1st of September. Good by Harry. Sirius, Remus."

Dumbledore moved towards the floo and Sirius stood up with Harry still leaning into him and they saw the Hogwarts professors off and then all of them truly relaxed.

Sirius forgot the anger he had before, he forgot the brief spasm of jealousy that almost made him want to hex Snape truly badly when Harry had hugged him and he forgot the awkwardness of the lunch he hosted. All he was concerned about now was that Harry needed his comfort and the whole day Harry read from his books and Sirius sat by him, holding him and comforting him.

_**End of Chapter – 14**_

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	15. Chapter 15

_**Thank you, all of you who have read this story so far and every one of you who has taken a minute to write a review. Thank you A, Taly and Harriverse**_

_**Harry Potter and Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 15**_

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The summer holidays were the best Harry could remember in both his lives. From day one until he was to leave for School, Harry was very happy, contented and safe. Though it was still a debate whether his mother's protections were still there or not, Dumbledore in this time had taken it to mean the protections were no longer applicable. Harry always had thought that the protections would hold against Voldemort, but when Dumbledore was in doubt, he was not going to say anything.

Harry had been possessed by Voldemort in his fifth year in the Department of Mysteries and then, Dumbledore had concluded the protections held. Now he was not so sure. That was another change from the other time, and one Harry did not mind at all. Harry was happy because he felt he could not take the risk by going back to the Dursleys and killing them in the process too, in case he was possessed by Voldemort while at Privet Drive and was not able to gain control. That would have been dangerous to say the least.

Harry spent his time reading, pranking and going to many places with Sirius and Remus. They took him to Ireland and France for week-ends and Harry thoroughly enjoyed seeing the magical world of those two places. He had been to both muggle and magical Ireland and France before and had enjoyed it then and he enjoyed them now too.

He wrote letters to everyone and was not surprised when he never received any back. The second year had started and Harry assumed Dobby was keeping letters from him.

Harry did not remember the date he had been to Diagon Alley and so when he went to shop for his books, he did not meet the Weasleys or the Malfoys or any of his friends there. Harry, Sirius and Remus had a normal shopping day without Lockhart and the others.

Sirius had commented about the lack of letters but had left it when Harry had shrugged and told him that he had he had sent the letters first, but would wait for a reply before writing again. So that was that.

Harry had also spoken to Sirius and Remus about getting permission to make the expensive potion to know his mother's blood status and to find out which family she had descended from. Sirius had not been able to refuse but he did not like the fact that Harry would be meeting Snape almost on a daily basis for the potion.

They had never spoken about Harry's behaviour when Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape had come to Grimmauld Place for lunch, though Harry was well aware that Sirius did not like it. Harry made sure he never spoke about Snape, if he could avoid that particular topic. He did not want another fight on his hands.

They spent his birthday in Ireland and there was no reason for Harry to call over any of his friends. Sirius and Remus had got him many books, robes and other small trinkets. Sirius also got him a nice watch.

Sirius and Remus did go to office everyday, but in the holidays one of them made a point to come back early. Harry had been given permission to floo to The Leaky Cauldron and visit Diagon Alley, if he got bored during the day. Knockturn Alley was banned for now. Sirius promised to take him when he was older.

On one of these days Harry had flooed to The Leaky Cauldron and had gone into Diagon Alley. There he had stepped into a small alley and after changing his face and making himself look older, Harry had walked swiftly to Borgin and Burkes. He had entered the dingy shop and had browsed around. No one asked him anything; he looked like a dubious person after all.

Old Borgin who was there did not spare him a second glance and Harry bought a few Dark Arts books and then walking to a tall cabinet, opened it and peered inside.

"It is a very good cupboard sir." Borgin spoke in an oily voice behind Harry that startled Harry so much that he jumped and hit the corner of the cupboard. He cursed and turned to the part owner of the shop and nodded curtly.

"I think I will take it. How much is it?"

Borgin told him and after indulging in a fair bit of haggling for the price for this as well as the books, Harry left with a shrunken carton, very happy with his day. He walked up to the apparition point and apparated to a remote place and removed his glamour and casting invisibility spells on him apparated to a small alley near The Leaky Cauldron. He cancelled the invisibility charms and walked into the pub and took the floo to Grimmauld Place. Sirius and Remus had not yet come and Harry spent the time to set up the vanishing cupboard, in a corner of his room and started warding it with blood wards. Then he locked his door and opened the door of the vanishing cupboard and went inside.

Harry knew how to operate the cupboard and he simply stepped into its brother cupboard and removing his invisibility cloak from his robes, Harry put it on and gingerly opened the door. It opened into the staff room of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Harry felt jubilant. This was fantastic. Harry went out slowly walking cautiously, his invisibility cloak firmly fastened and then went into the cupboard once again to walk out into his room at Grimmauld Place. Once back in his bedroom, Harry sat silently for a while before flicking his wand and making the cupboard look more attractive. After he changed the outside of the cupboard, Harry opened the door and conjured shelves and placed a lot of his books into the cupboard.

After the books, came the wards that Harry placed all around the cupboard, making sure no one would think of removing the shelves and the books he had placed in it to venture inside. The most important ward he placed was inside the cupboard, where he stopped by means of another blood ward, the entry from the other vanishing cabinet to this one.

After this Harry was largely quiet, simply waiting for Dobby to come and tell him not to go to Hogwarts. He had no connection with his friends and he knew Sirius and Remus were angry as the days went by without any response especially after his birthday, but since Harry had been very normal and totally unaffected and had not written after that first round of letters, he had sent, they could not say anything and they kept quiet.

Harry had made copious plans of starting the potions and also spent a lot of time studying his second year books. A week before Harry was to leave for his second year, Dobby popped into his room one night.

This was once again a change from the previous time, when Dobby had come to the Dursleys much earlier. Harry had placed silencing charms in his room after his birthday so that no one would hear if Dobby screamed and wailed unless Sirius and Remus were with Harry in his room at the time.

Dobby came in very late at night and he simply stood there staring at Harry with his big eyes full of wonder at having met the great Harry James Potter. Harry stared back at the elf that had saved all of them and had died in the process. He swallowed the sudden tightness in his throat at the sight of the faithful elf and smiled.

"Who are you?" Harry asked him very calmly, though his heart was bursting with happiness to see yet another person who was alive, and one whom Harry himself had buried.

"Dobby sir." The elf squeaked.

"Hello Dobby. Why have you come here?" Harry asked him and this set Dobby off.

"Yous is really great Harry Potter sir. Yous asked me how I am. Harry Potter is really great sir." He wailed, big fat tears leaking out of his eyes as he looked at Harry worshipfully.

Harry grinned; Dobby had not changed after all. "I really am not great or anything Dobby. But thanks all the same. Now, what was it that you wanted from me?"

"The great Harry Potter is so humble." Dobby cried loud and long and then slowly sobered and stared at Harry with his tennis balls eyes. His expression was serious and very intense.

"Harry Potter must not return to Hogwarts this year, sir. Terrible things are planned to happen at the Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry." He said solemnly.

"What do you mean, Dobby?" Harry asked looking very interested and serious.

"Sir, there is terrible things that is planned at Hogwarts this year. Harry Potter must not go to Hogwarts so that he may be safe." Dobby told him again, his glance beseeching and pleading.

"Are these things planned against me or against everybody else?" Harry asked him and the little elf wrung his hands.

"I really don't know everything sir. The bad, bad things are planned against all those who are not pure bloods." Dobby told him very distressed.

Harry was silent for a while. "Thank you Dobby. I will tell Sirius and Remus and ask them to tell Dumbledore to" the elf did not let Harry complete the sentence. He simply latched on to Harry and howled with fear.

"No, no, no, no Harry Potter sir," it cried at the top of its lungs, "please do not tell anyone sir. I would be severely punished by my family sir." Dobby clutched Harry's night robes and cried all down his shirt.

Harry simply sat there allowing Dobby to cry off his terror and after a while he sat Dobby down and put a hand over his mouth, preventing Dobby from speaking.

"Dobby, listen to me." Harry told him quietly. He waited until Dobby was calm and nodded his head before continuing. "I think it would be the best thing to tell the Headmaster. Wait!" Harry told him as Dobby began to whimper. "Wait. I will say that a house elf came and told me that some bad things have been planned for Hogwarts and that he came to me because I was well, what should I say, hmm, well okay, the Boy-Who-Lived and warned me about it but popped away before I could enquire anything about him. Okay?"

Dobby did not agree at first and Harry had to spend the next hour persuading the elf to agree.

"Please be careful sir." Dobby entreated Harry and finally agreeing with him and getting ready to pop away to Malfoy Manor. Before that he snapped his fingers and gave the missing letters to Harry with a bashful and a slightly fearful smile.

Harry grinned as he took the letters. "So they had written!" he exclaimed. "You kept them away." He looked at Dobby in mild surprise.

Dobby hastened to explain. "I did not mean to sir. I merely thought that if Harry Potter felt he had no friends, then he would not want to return."

"That's alright Dobby." Harry told him and was once again treated to wailing and crying about the 'Great Harry Potter and how magnanimous and forgiving he is' before he popped away.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief and opened the letters. There were three letters from Hermione, two from Neville, one from Ron, one from the twins and two from Malfoy.

Feeling curious that Malfoy would write again without receiving a reply Harry opened the letters from Malfoy first. The first one was a reply to Harry's and asking him if he would meet Draco at Diagon Alley to do their shopping together.

The next letter had been written just a week ago and it contained very interesting information.

_Harry,_

_I have received no reply to my letter and so I assumed you were not interested in meeting me at Diagon Alley. I hope your holidays with your guardians have not made you think less about us Slytherins._

Harry rolled his eyes and sighed, sensing the hurt Malfoy was implying through the letter because Harry had not replied.

_I went last week to Diagon Alley with mother and father to shop for my School supplies and there in Flourish and Blotts we met the Weasleys and Lockhart, who has written most of the books we will be studying this year. _

_I presume that I will see you on the train or at School._

_Malfoy_

So Lucius Malfoy had met the Weasleys. Harry tore open the letters from Hermione, Ron and the twins but they had not written anything about the meeting with the Malfoys in their letters.

Harry sighed and bundling the letters, went out to tell Sirius and Remus about the 'unknown' elf but both of them were sleeping and Harry decided not to wake them up and went to bed himself.

The next morning, Harry was up early as usual and as soon as Sirius and Remus came in, he set the letters on the table and grinned at them.

"So they finally had the decency to write back did they?" Sirius asked him, scowling at the letters.

"No, Sirius. An elf finally had the decency to finally hand over the letters to me. It had apparently taken the letters away and came over yesterday night and handed it over to me. I came to tell you both about it, but both of you were sleeping and I decided to tell you today."

Sirius blinked at this involved and very confusing explanation, "Wait a minute Harry. Are you telling me that a house elf came over to Grimmauld Place and handed the letters to you? How could it Remus?" Sirius asked the last question to Remus who was listening to all this with a very puzzled and a thoughtful look.

"I don't know Sirius. Remember the elves in Hogwarts? We are repeatedly told that you cannot apparate or disapparate in Hogwarts and yet how many times have the elves popped over when ever we called them to give us snacks or clean after us. They should not have been able to but they do it all the time. Maybe this elf too is like that. It could probably pop over if it could, unless you give it a direct order not to come here, ever, like you did with Kreacher."

Sirius frowned even more as he processed all that Remus told him and then nodded thoughtfully, though half – heartedly still not fully convinced. Then he turned to Harry.

"Tell us what actually happened yesterday night Harry, and try not to leave anything. Did the elf tell you its name and was it from Hogwarts or was it working for some family and why did it take away your letters?

Harry cleared his throat and launched into an account of all that happened and finally finished with, "It would not tell me its name Sirius. But it seemed to know from somewhere that someone is planning to unleash something in Hogwarts this year and it did not want me to go. It thought, poor thing, that if I did not receive letters from my friends, then I would not want to go back to School. It popped away before I could ask it anything else."

"I think we should tell this to Dumbledore Sirius. If, as the elf said that someone is going to unleash something that could harm the kids, then it is better Dumbledore is prepared. If we tell him this today, then he may even tighten the wards around the School." Remus told Sirius, his amber eyes very serious.

"I don't like this Remus. Maybe we should heed the elf's warning and keep Harry away from Hogwarts this year. Wait Harry," Sirius told him, as Harry opened his mouth to protest, "last year Voldemort was able to enter into Hogwarts and he even tried to possess you and kill you. This year just a week before, we have an unknown elf that simply pops over and warns you, hands over the letters to you and pops off. I am worried Harry. I think we should take its warning to heart."

"I agree with Sirius, Harry, but I think we should talk to Dumbledore before we decide anything." Remus told Harry and Harry pouted and turned a pleading expression to both of them, "Sirius, Remus, nothing will happen to me. I wanted to start on the potion this year. I will be careful and will not go off on my own. Please."

"Well, we will speak to Dumbledore and then decide alright?" Sirius told him, and Harry shrugged a little disappointedly and then they carried on with their meal in silence.

After they finished their breakfast, Sirius flicked his wand and sent a Patronus to Dumbledore and heaved a sigh of relief when Dumbledore's Phoenix Patronus came some time later inviting them to Hogwarts right then. Dumbledore had asked them to floo directly into his office and in a few minutes a visibly worried Sirius and Remus flooed in and Harry followed them a minute later falling on his buttocks with a small 'ouch'.

Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall were already sitting there and Dumbledore greeted Sirius and Remus with a smile and his smile broadened when he saw Harry's landing.

"Hello Harry, how have your holidays been? And you Sirius, Remus, how are you both?" Dumbledore asked them and the next few minutes passed by in pleasant chit chat in which everyone except Snape was participating, Snape was glowering at Harry, Sirius and Remus, well glowering at Harry and sending looks of deep loathing to Sirius and Remus. But Sirius was much too worried to even notice Snape in the room let alone snarl and glare at him. Dumbledore noticed that and he wondered what could be that important for Sirius to ignore Snape.

Harry had smiled at Dumbledore and had greeted him politely and then had turned a beaming face to McGonagall and Snape. McGonagall had smiled back at him, while Snape had shrunk back in his seat, making Dumbledore and McGonagall bite their lips to stop laughing. Harry did not do anything though and after greeting both his professors nicely, had sat down quietly in between Sirius and Remus.

"What is the matter Sirius? Your Patronus sounded urgent?" Dumbledore asked him after the pleasantries.

"Harry?" Sirius turned to Harry and asked him to tell everything to the Headmaster.

The moment Dumbledore realized that this had to do with Harry, he became very alert. So did McGonagall and Snape. Harry looked a bit nervous and felt Sirius's hands coming over his shoulder and smiled at him, before turning to Dumbledore.

Harry once again, for the second time since that morning, told Dumbledore and the other two professors about an unknown elf that came into his room last night. Harry was sure Dumbledore did not know Dobby and so he had not changed the features of the elf in his mind, but had placed false memories of the conversation he was sprouting off to everyone.

As he had expected, Dumbledore peeped into his mind as he told his story. The one good thing about Snape knowing Harry's secret was he no longer peeped into Harry's mind. So Harry had to deal only with Dumbledore. Once Harry finished with his telling Dumbledore also withdrew from his mind and there was only silence for a few minutes while all of them digested what Harry was telling them.

"I was wondering if I should send Harry to Hogwarts this year Albus. Voldemort has already tried once last year and this year has not even started and already Harry has received a warning." Sirius's voice sounded very troubled and Dumbledore sighed. He did not recognize the elf, it could belong to anybody or it could have overheard someone speaking and had come to warn Harry. But why Harry? Why not the other students? Was it because Harry was the Boy-Who-Lived or was it because Harry would be specifically targeted?

Dumbledore had no answers. "Harry will be safe here Sirius. I will strengthen the wards and also check the various entrances and have them properly sealed. Do not worry. Harry," Dumbledore turned to Harry, "You must make sure that you have someone with you all the times and you must not go alone anywhere."

"Yes sir. This year I wanted to request professor Snape to help me start with the Ancestry potion. That will take the better part of the year to brew and I will be with my friends all the time and I will not go alone anywhere."

Snape simply sneered at the politeness of Harry, and Sirius noticed him for the first time and glared at him. "Shut up Snape. Albus," he told Dumbledore, "are you sure Snape is fine?" the insult and the implication clear in his voice.

Snape jumped to his feet and had his wand in his hand and Sirius stood up furiously, his own wand in his hand and Dumbledore clapped his hands for attention. "Severus, Sirius, please, there is a child here and both of you must set an example to him."

Snape sneered once more; not taking his eyes off Sirius and Sirius threw a disgusted look at Snape and sat down. "Sorry Albus. We will leave and I will send Harry, but please make sure that what the elf said will not come to pass. Call us if you do need any help. Thank you and goodbye."

"Sirius, may I stay back here for an hour to discuss the potion with professor Snape? Please?" Harry asked him, just as they were about to enter the floo. Sirius looked incredulously at him.

"What Harry? You want to ask," Harry cut him off there and turned a pleading expression to Sirius. "Please Sirius."

"I am busy Potter and I really do not have the time to pander to your whims and fancies and I really do not think I will be able to assist you in this potion." Snape told him brusquely and flicked something off his robes.

"Sir please help us sir. It is a complicated potion and I want to know from which family my mum is descended. Please help me sir." Harry begged him. Snape froze at hearing about Harry's mother and glaring hatefully at everyone; he turned away and walked out without bothering to answer.

"Of all the bloody" Sirius was fuming and McGonagall and Dumbledore looked resigned and Remus placed a calm hand on Sirius's shoulder.

"Sirius, Remus, please, May I go and talk to professor Snape? Please, please, please." Harry begged them.

"But he won't help you Harry. You saw him. Why do you persist in thinking only good of him, when he clearly is not?" Sirius asked him, his voice full of anger and hate, and sounding more like the Sirius that Harry knew.

"Because he has never shown he is bad Sirius. He is like this with everyone, not just me and he is a brilliant potions master. Please, I want to find out about mum. Don't say no." Harry told him, his tone conciliatory and pleading.

Sirius turned turbulent eyes towards Dumbledore, "May he, Albus?" clearly not liking it, but unable to stop Harry's desire to find out about his mother.

Dumbledore nodded, looking at Harry with undisguised curiosity that a small child should be able to see so clearly below the surface actions, and Harry grinned in relief and hugged Sirius and Remus and smiled his thanks to Dumbledore and McGonagall and ran towards the door.

"Not more than an hour Harry." Sirius warned and Harry nodded, "I will floo back, either from here or from the floo in the professor's office if he will allow me to." and ran towards the dungeons to meet Snape.

Once Harry was out of the Headmaster's office, he ran all the way down and caught up with Snape at the entrance to his potions office and waited silently behind him, as he unlocked his office door and walked inside. Snape threw some privacy, silencing and locking spells before going to his chair and sitting down, his face still pale and angry.

"How are you? I am to be talking to you about the potion we are to be starting this year." Harry told him, his eyes looking carefully at Snape.

Snape was silent for some time, struggling to control himself both about cursing Sirius and his own emotions regarding Lily before he looked directly at Harry, "Who was the elf? Did this happen last time?" he asked abruptly.

Harry nodded. "The elf was Dobby, the Malfoy's elf. Lucius Malfoy will or already has given the horcrux that he had with him to Ginny Weasley. The horcrux will possess her and she will release the basilisk inside the chamber that Slytherin built. I will try and steal the diary as soon as I can from her."

There was silence as Snape processed that information and then Snape turned once more to Harry.

"Why did the Dark Lord's sprit try and possess you Potter?" Snape asked him quietly.

Harry shuddered as he thought of both events when Voldemort had possessed Harry. The last time was in the Department of Mysteries when Sirius fell into the veil and two months ago when he came out in rage after killing Quirrell.

"He possessed me once in my fifth year the last time around Snape. But after that he never came near me. I hope this time too he will not come anywhere near me and if he does, my mum's protection will help me throw him out."

"Lily's protection? I thought they were not there anymore." Snape said his eyes narrowed as he looked at Harry intently.

"They are always with me and will always work against him. Voldemort cannot stand love Snape. I thought of all those who loved me and all those whom I loved and Voldemort went away." Harry told him wondering if Snape realized he had spoken Harry's mother's name quite casually. Harry thought Snape had not realized it.

"Did he see your past life then Potter. You are careless." Snape hissed in alarm.

"No, no! Snape, I did not. I only concentrated on the love I had for everyone. That was all." Harry reassured him and smiled when Snape snorted and sneered at him.

"Then why did Dumbledore feel that Lily's protection was not there anymore?" Snape asked him, leaning forward interestedly.

Harry shrugged. "I really don't know. Maybe he felt that Voldemort trying to possess me so early is not good and if he tried the same thing at Privet Drive, I would be all alone. At Grimmauld Place at least I will have Sirius and Remus with me." Snape snorted and his expression told Harry what he thought of Sirius and Remus and that naturally led Snape to the events that happened at Grimmauld Place.

"How dare you hug me Potter, when I came to Black's despicable home? Let me assure you that I will be taking as many points as I can from Gryffindor for that all through this year." Snape told him softly, his eyes glinting with anger and something that Harry could not discern, maybe it was embarrassment.

Harry looked seriously at him. "I wanted everyone to know of your contributions Snape. Last time you did too much and got too little recognition for your hard work, without which we would have not won the war. This time, I plan to see things work differently. I want Sirius, Remus and others to also understand the type of spying you will be doing for the Wizarding World and the Order of the Phoenix. Humour me on this one, please."

Snape was flabbergasted internally, though outwardly his face was blank. Potter did that for him? What had happened last time?

Harry on his part hoped Snape would become a bit more human and be a lot more accepted than he was before. Well time would tell, thought Harry as both of them sat silently lost in their own thoughts.

"Did Dumbledore talk to you about the Stone?" Harry asked him a few minutes later.

"No. but he enlisted my help as well as that of Minerva to search for the Stone. We turned the whole castle upside down and he, I think is very worried that the Stone has disappeared without his knowledge. He called Nicholas Flamel and both of them did some complicated magic before Flamel told him that the Stone was not in Hogwarts. I have never seen Dumbledore so worried." Snape sounded very happy. Harry did not reply and both of them lapsed into silence again.

"Can you get me some basilisk venom and skin?" Snape asked him after a short pause.

"Of course. I will take you inside the chamber and you can help yourself to anything you want. If we are able to get the diary and destroy it, then that is four horcruxes out of the way. Only Nagini and the Hufflepuff cup remain, oh! And Voldemort of course, we have to defeat him as well." Harry pointed out to him and then he stood up. "Can I take the floo from here? Dumbledore peeped into my mind again today and I would rather not meet him once more."

Snape nodded once and Harry walked towards the fire. "I will bring the gold necessary and we can start preparing for the potions once School starts. Is that okay with you?"

"Will you let me be if it weren't?" Snape countered.

Harry grinned. "There is that and so, see you Snape, once School starts."

Snape did not bother to answer and looked inscrutably at Harry until he disappeared in the flames.

_**End of Chapter – 15**_

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	16. Chapter 16

_**Thank you, everyone of you who have read this story and to everyone who took that extra moment to review. Thank you, Taly, lamia**_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

_**-----------------------------------------------**_

_**Chapter – 16**_

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Harry fell out of the floo and picked himself up and walked into Grimmauld Place and found both Sirius and Remus waiting for him. They were looking very anxious and Sirius smiled the smile of a relieved man when he saw Harry fall down from the floo and curse himself.

"Are you okay Harry?" he asked as Harry brushed the soot off his robes.

"Yup, Sirius. I am fine. I spoke and actually begged Snape to help me with the potion and he finally nodded once in total irritation. So I guess that means an okay." Harry grinned as he went to the small table and poured some pumpkin juice that Sirius had kept.

"The bloody git! He can't be polite for once can he?" Sirius fumed. Remus laid a hand on his shoulder in warning and smiled at Harry.

"So you are going to do the potion. That is fantastic Harry."

Harry nodded enthusiastically. "You bet Remus! I want to see if my mum has magical roots on her dad's side or her mum's side. So does Hermione and a whole lot of others. I thought we could pool all our money together and get this going. Then those who call Hermione a mudblood would be the real fools."

"Good for you Harry. It will certainly help in this. You could even publish your results in The Daily Prophet or even the same magazine and gain more popularity for this experiment. It would help all the muggleborns." Remus said, smiling at Harry's enthusiasm.

"That is a fab idea Remus. May be we could try it on every muggleborn witch and wizard." Harry told him.

"Hey, you will need the Ministry of Magic's approval and permission for that, Harry." Sirius told him, slowly getting caught in Harry's enthusiasm.

"So we make a big enough racket to get it." Harry laughed and Sirius and Remus laughed along with him, telling Harry how much like James he had spoken and Harry spent the rest of his holidays happily and on the morning of the 1st of September, he got ready and side along apparated along with Sirius and a disapproving Remus and stumbled as they let him go and landed on his bum at King's Cross.

They were slightly early that day, because Sirius had to attend a meeting at Gringotts for a business deal and after dropping Harry and crushing him with a hug, Sirius and Remus waved goodbye to him, after taking promises from Harry to write everyday to them and disapparated.

Harry sat there silently waiting for everyone to come along and he saw Hermione come briskly with her parents first.

"Hi, Hermione." Harry shouted to her and was slightly taken aback when she glared a bit, before nodding her head. She walked briskly towards him and after saying her goodbyes to her parents, she turned to Harry. She was about to speak when Neville and Malfoy both peeped in and Malfoy scowled when he saw Harry and Neville smiled hesitantly.

"So Potter we are back to being Slytherin and Gryffindor are we?" Malfoy asked his trunk in his hand and an angry and hurt look on his face.

In answer Harry simply pulled his trunk from his hand and shrunk it for him and then pulled him and Neville inside and shut the door.

"Okay guys. I am sorry for not answering the letters all of you sent, but the fact was I never received them in the first place. Al least I did not get them until a few days ago, when an elf came to me and gave it to me. It would not say why it took the letters in the first place, only handed it over to me and popped off. I told Sirius that it might have been Kreacher. But Sirius was not there when the elf came and so… sorry once again."

All the three of them listened quietly to Harry's explanation and then Harry watched with a sigh of relief that all of them looked fine. He had planned what to say with Sirius and Sirius had spent some time talking through the floo with Dumbledore and they had discussed it amongst themselves and had come up with this. Harry was fine with this. He had not wanted Malfoy to know, anyone to know actually. This way Malfoy would not get a wind of something and promptly write his father with some horrible thing taking place in Hogwarts this year.

Neville was relieved and Harry smiled at him. He was probably feeling relieved that Harry had not broken off with him and somehow that thought made Harry feel incredibly sad. He realized the extent of low self esteem that Neville had, Malfoy was the same too, only he hid it better Harry understood looking at Draco Malfoy who was looking calmer and a lot happier.

Pansy, Ron, the twins and others kept peeping into their compartment and Harry apologized to Ron and the twins too explaining to them what had happened. They simply shrugged it off and Ron and Draco promptly got into an argument and came close to hexing each other until Harry silenced Draco and the twins dragged Ron away, promising to meet Harry and discuss the potion with him later.

Harry turned irritated eyes on to Draco but Hermione got there first. "You are mad Malfoy. You know Ron. Where is your pureblood grooming anyway? You were bickering with him like some silly, snotty kid." She ranted, glaring at him and Draco protested his innocence to her.

Harry, after watching for a few minutes as they argued back and forth stopped them and started off on the potion he was planning to make. "I spoke to Snape during the holidays and he agreed and my Godfather agreed to pay for the potion's cost as well."

That succeeded in turning their attention from their bickering and on to the potion. "That is great news Harry. Tell us what happened." Hermione said eagerly.

And so Harry told all of them what happened and Hermione predictably asked a great many questions about it. "My parents have also promised to contribute Harry. What do you say? Shall we all contribute for the potions and for Snape's time to make it so that the potion would be available for all of us? Because, otherwise, the cost of the ingredients alone will make me back out right now." She finished wistfully, looking at Harry with great hope.

"Of course Hermione. Sirius has promised to fund this and it will make it easier on him if I am able to get contributions from all muggleborns. We can brew more of this stuff and test it on all muggleborns who are here in Hogwarts and maybe even publish our results in The Daily Prophet. What do you say?"

"Brilliant Harry! That is what we will do. Ohhhh! I am so excited." Hermione exclaimed.

Malfoy sulked. "What about us purebloods. Don't we get to also say a few words in The Daily Prophet?"

Harry rolled his eyes and grinned at Malfoy. "You and the other Slytherins and Gryffindors who are pure bloods will be the most important, for you will verify that the potions did work and you saw the results for yourselves. Happy?"

Malfoy brightened up. He merely nodded though, and kept quiet.

They spent the time until they reached Hogwarts by discussing the potion and also wondering about why the elf had taken away Harry's letters in the first place and why it had returned them later.

"Are you sure Harry that the elf did not tamper with the letters?" Malfoy asked him, frowning deeply as he thought about which elf it could be that had the sheer nerve to take away the letters belonging to a wizard and that too someone like Harry Potter. It was all very mysterious really.

Harry shook his head in reply. "They were not even opened Draco. I was so taken aback, let me tell you. But before I could question the elf it popped away."

After that the talk turned to Quidditch. Malfoy started blushing and he slowly spoke. "My father has brought Nimbus 2001 brooms for the entire team. Marcus Flint owled me and told me that he wanted to train me as Slytherin's new seeker."

There was a dead silence after Malfoy's statement and he, himself, was looking out of the window, looking very humiliated and wishing earnestly he had never grumbled to his father that he would never be good enough to make the team.

Harry was shocked by how the events were happening as they did just like before, even though Malfoy had changed so much. Before he could say something neutral and calm Malfoy who was now a Weasley red and looking straight out of the window, Hermione snorted.

Malfoy whirled around and glared at her. "You said something?" he asked furiously.

"No, I snorted a bit." Hermione replied calmly, making Harry bite his cheeks to stop laughing.

Malfoy glared at her, a bit uncertain about how to respond. "Why? I never asked for it you know." He turned to Harry, "I was just grumbling one day that whatever I do I would never be good enough for the team and the next thing I know is Flint owling me. I swear I did not ask."

Hermione snorted a little gently once again and laughed at Malfoy's expression. "Well you know that's what everyone's going to think."

Malfoy ignored her and looked at Harry. "Is that what you think?" he asked.

Harry shook his head and watched Malfoy visibly relax. "No I don't, but what Hermione says is true. Everyone will think that."

"Well in Slytherin I will say it is true." Malfoy said uncomfortably.

"What!" Hermione exclaimed, but Harry cut her off.

"But naturally, Malfoy. That would show power." Hermione looked at him with her mouth open and Malfoy nodded relieved that at least one of them understood him and Slytherin. Neville was silently listening to everything, but not opening his mouth.

"But how Harry?" Hermione asked him bewildered that something that was shameful to her would be a show a power to Malfoy.

"This is Slytherin, Hermione. Here status, power and where you come from and how much influence you have in your world are most important. Malfoy would be respected for this there. It is not like Gryffindor. And it is not wrong for them." Harry finished firmly, his eyes warning her. She backed off reluctantly.

Malfoy was relieved and he spoke to Hermione. "In Slytherin, you have to show your power and status. It is not bad Hermione, it is what everyone does. And remember I got only the initial break here. That is what power can do. To keep it, I must perform. Else even my father's power will not help."

Hermione snorted again and Malfoy looked irritated but as she did not say anything more, he left it there and all of them were silent for a while before chatting to one another again. Some time later, the announcements came over magical communication systems, saying that they were nearing Hogsmeade and Harry and the others got ready to alight.

This year they took the horseless carriages and Harry alone could see the threstals pulling them. They reached the School and Draco swaggered off to the Slytherin tables where he was pounced upon by Pansy and Blaise who also waved to Harry. Harry grinned and waved back mouthing 'later' and jumped into the midst of his own Gryffindor classmates and friends.

Harry settled comfortable into his room and after unpacking, went to sleep. He had greeted Ron and the twins and had even smiled nicely when they had introduced Ginny to him. That moment had been very painful and Harry had been thrown into his other life for a second when he met those lovely brown eyes. She was blushing furiously and Harry held out his hand and shook it, and later introduced Hermione and Neville to her.

But he made no effort to get to know her, because he knew it would not be fair to her. He could not tell her about himself and to move with her even as a friend would be painful to him and something in him would not let him cheat her by accepting that hero worship that turned into true love without revealing everything to her. Harry had been quiet for a while after he met her, lost in the thoughts of the past and came down to earth only when he heard Hermione's concerned voice asking him if he were alright.

After that Harry acted normally and Hermione backed off, though she did watch her first and best friend for the rest of the night. Harry had not seen the diary, but it was still only the first day and he could wait. No one would be killed and anyway he hoped he would be able to get his hands on the diary even before Mrs. Norris was petrified.

The next morning was lovely and clear and Harry started off to the greenhouses for Professor Sprout's class to learn all about mandrakes. He was nearing the greenhouses when he noticed Lockhart and quickly cast a notice-me-not charm on himself, sure that Lockhart would not notice him. Sprout was looking very disgruntled and Harry quickly walked into the greenhouses 3 which she had been irritably telling the students to go into. Apparently Lockhart had been telling her how to grow plants and she did not want to learn from him.

Harry grinned to himself when he turned and looked long and hard searching for someone and Harry, now safe inside laughed to himself as Lockhart disappointedly walked away. Harry resolved that this time he would not meet Lockhart and do whatever it took to avoid that confrontation. He was that sick of this defence professor, he felt. Only Umbridge was worse in Harry's opinion. She was really in a class of her own.

They learnt about mandrakes and Harry, Neville, Hermione along with Pansy and Malfoy, with Blaise joining in now and then, were the most active. Professor Sprout slowly lost her irritation as the class proceeded normally and soon they were wearing thick ear – muffs and re-potting the squealing, kicking and crying mandrakes. No one fell down unconscious this time and all of then walked away with a slight relief after the class was over; the mandrakes had been very difficult and did not want to be re-potted at all. All the second years smelling of manure headed for the washrooms before they walked to their next class.

The next class was Transfiguration and there Harry received a mild shock. He was sitting as usual with Neville and Hermione was partnering Parvati and the Slytherins were sitting behind them. Ron and Lavender were sitting in front of Harry and Neville and Harry noticed some sparks from Ron's table. He frowned as that reminded him of something familiar and a minute later the puzzle was solved. Ron had somehow broken his wand and the sparks were what were familiar. He had seen them so many times after all. Harry waited impatiently for the class to finish and then he called out to Ron.

"Hey! Ron, how did you break your wand? Wow!" Harry exclaimed looking just a tiny bit anxious. Once again events happened as before and Harry was simply astounded.

"I fell down on my wand just as the stupid staircase was moving Harry." Ron mourned. "I fell on my bloody wand and it broke into two. Now it is all so faulty. It works some time and it doesn't sometime."

Seamus snorted. "That has to be stretching the truth so far, it has snapped." He drawled and Ron blushed. "The wand is just faulty Harry. It also backfires and does strange things."

Hermione was very interested in a broken wand, because she could see how the wand core was placed and she grabbed Ron's wand from him and started pouring over it. They had reached the Great Hall and Hermione placed her perfect buttons they had been transfiguring into her bag with a very satisfied smile. Harry grinned. Last time she would have been called a know-it-all. This time Harry, Neville, Malfoy, Blaise and Pansy were more or less sharing the top positions among the Slytherins and the Gryffindors who had their classes together. Padma and Terry Boot were also among the top and Hermione did not stand out anymore.

They ate their lunch before going to the defence against the Dark Arts class; they were about to start when a small boy whom Harry had seen sorted the day before and whom he was seeing after twenty years ran up to him.

"Harry Potter? May I take a snap please?" he asked breathlessly and Harry beamed and called his friends together and stood g5rinning from ear to ear at the small boy.

"Sure. Wait let me call the others. What is your name, by the way?" He asked.

"Colin Creevy. I am a muggleborn." The boy told him, clearly awed to be speaking to Harry Potter.

Harry beamed. "Well pleased to meet you Colin. Okay we are ready." Harry thanked the stuttering boy after the photos were taken, three of them, who was thrilled to get his first shots of the great Harry Potter. Waving to Colin, Harry left for Lockhart's class.

Lockhart was a joke and Harry placed an extremely mild notice-me-not charm upon him and was undisturbed for the whole of the class. Lockhart kept scanning the class all through the hour for someone, but was not able to find him or her apparently.

Harry grinned at Lockhart after the class was over and he left along with the others. Lockhart looked through the papers with a slight frown and saw Harry's name on a blank sheet of paper that asked for answers about his books. Harry had had no intention of writing anything for Lockhart's class and he walked to with the others to their next class.

Next was potions and Harry trooped off to potions class and after a scowling and glaring Snape had dismissed the class, Harry stayed back. Snape silently warded the room in a few seconds and raised his eyebrows.

"When can we start the potions? From this Saturday?" Harry asked him, placing a heavy bag in front of him.

Snape looked at the bag and raised his eyebrows at Harry. "I am not destitute yet Potter and I can afford to buy the ingredients."

"I am not insulting you Snape. This has my contribution but a lot of muggleborns are also contributing and why should they not? It is for them is it not? Please don't make a fuss. I never meant that you could not afford, only that I am also contributing. Please. And you never told me when we can start."

"I will need time to purchase the ingredients Potter. Next week – end should be acceptable. Now get out." and Snape removed the wards and bent over the desk and started writing and Harry stood up and leaving the bag full of galleons, quietly left the room. The others were standing outside waiting for him eagerly and a touch anxiously and all of them heaved a huge sigh of relief when they saw Harry coming out, with a beaming face.

"All clear! Nothing to worry." Harry told them, showing the thumbs up sign and Hermione and Malfoy started with the questions.

"When are we starting Harry?" Hermione asked him.

"Next week-end. Snape says he will need all of next week to make purchases. Plus he has classes to take as well." Harry told them.

Malfoy nodded. "Will he allow me to come with you guys and help with the potion, seeing I am not muggleborn?" Malfoy asked with a small shudder at being born a muggleborn.

Hermione noticed that and smacked Malfoy on his shoulder. "Hey! What was that for?" he asked her indignantly.

"For your attitude. And Malfoy, what if any of us muggleborns were related to the Malfoy family? What would you do then, I wonder? Commit suicide?" Hermione asked him sarcastically.

"I am sure the Malfoy family has no squibs. We are so pureblood, that we have had only magical babies in our line." Malfoy said with an incredibly superior air.

"Be careful Malfoy!" Hermione exclaimed with a false air of concern. "That head may burst with all the strain upon it. It really is swelling at a very fast pace." She said looking angrily at him.

Malfoy blushed and was about to retort something rude to Hermione as well, but Harry cut his words off, "Well are we going to be mature about this or not?

Both of them fell silent at the warning in Harry's voice and ten all of them went to the last class of the day rather silently. Once class was finished for the day, all of them, joined by the twins, Lee Jordon, Ron and a few others, both Gryffindors and Slytherins, walked up to the lake where Harry briefed them about the potions and the unknown elf. He kept Malfoy with him and the twins did the same with Ron and the discussion passed off rather amicably and without major hexing and quarrelling.

That week and the next went by slowly and then Saturday was upon them. Harry and the others woke up very excited, because they were about to kick start the potion from that day.

They went down to the Great Hall and sat there widely grinning at each other and Harry waved to the Slytherins who also nodded and grinned at Harry. Dumbledore who was looking at Harry was once again taken aback at the wonders Harry had achieved since coming to Hogwarts. He had struck up a firm friendship with Malfoy and the other Slytherins, who continued that friendship even after they saw Voldemort.

He was sure that Draco and the other Slytherins would have told their fathers about the Dark Lord and yet Draco was still being friendly with Harry and even with Miss. Granger. That was because of the potion that once again Harry had read and started off a debate and now had somehow persuaded Severus to make it for them.

That thought brought Dumbledore to the Harry and Snape relationship. That was nothing short of amazing and astounding to Dumbledore. Harry had somehow got past the defences of the surly potions master and was able to interact with him in a manner that even Dumbledore was not capable of. He frowned for a minute as he wondered how mature Harry had sounded in his office to Sirius. At that time it seemed Sirius was the child. He wondered once again how much Harry knew of his parents and Snape's affection, no love for his mother.

That thought sobered him and completely saddened him as his thoughts flew to a merry faced wizard with golden hair and a mischievous smile. He and Snape were a lot more alike than Snape probably ever knew. His lips twisted, both of them had loved people who did not love them back and both those loves and the resultant deaths of Ariana and the way Gellert Grindelwald left him alone in his worst moment, and of Lily herself in Snape's case was what changed them and shaped them as they were today. Albus Dumbledore knew that somewhere in the bottom of his heart that wizard still held a place.

"Are you quite alright Albus?" McGonagall was looking at him in concern and Dumbledore came back to the present, shrugging of the unhappy ghosts of the past.

He looked around and saw Snape too looking at him in equal concern and he smiled. "I am fine Minerva. I was just thinking."

McGonagall left it there and Snape never uttered a word, but both of them watched him carefully for the rest of the meal.

"You will be starting the potion today, won't you Severus?" Dumbledore asked him after a few minutes.

Snape looked surly. "Yes. I really don't know why Potter is behind me like this, even after living with Black and Lupin." He finished, looking very disgruntled. His eyes were very alert, however and he listened intently to learn what Dumbledore thought of Harry's behaviour to him.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. I noticed. I am very much surprised, Severus. Harry is able to look past everything and take a surprisingly mature view of Sirius's comments about you. He seems to like you very much." He finished with a small teasing smile and the smile widened into a grin when Snape flushed with embarrassment.

Snape did not utter a word more. He turned to his own plate. Harry Potter. The man – child had turned everything upside down. Snape only hoped he would be able to carry it successfully until the end.

In the evening Snape was busy finishing his other work before Harry would descend on him. He had just finished when there was a knock on the door and then the door opened without whoever it was waiting for his permission.

A whole group of students from all Houses trooped in cheerfully with great expectations and excitement in their eyes and faces. Snape glared at all of them and watched them with satisfaction as they stood in total silence.

"None of you thought to knock did you?" he asked softly and glared at all of them and watched as they shuffled a bit and flushed. Everyone did except Harry, who smiled sweetly at him and made him snarl. Snape foamed at his mouth for a minute, before he controlled himself and then spoke softly, "All of you cannot stay here. Potter, you alone will be enough today. I will be starting only the basic preparation today. If I need more help, I will call you. Potter will come everyday and assist me, unless I ask for others. Is that clear? Then get out! "

Hermione was biting her lips in an effort not to cry. She and the other Ravenclaws and Malfoy had come very eagerly. Malfoy started to open his mouth, when Hermione shushed him and trooped out with the others.

"I would have asked him for myself. Why did you stop me?" he asked Hermione angrily.

"Because I did not want him to stop the potion today, and he would have done that had we angered him. I want to do this very badly." She said trying hard not to cry. She had gone with great hope and was feeling very disappointed, but riling up Snape would mean he would postpone the potion indefinitely and she did not want that. She would have to get information from Harry that was all. She sniffed once and walked silently with Neville, Malfoy, Pansy and Blaise to the lake to wait for Harry to come.

Harry was just putting his bag on the chair and was about to step into the ingredients room to help Snape bring out the basic ingredients needed for today, when,

"_Come…. Come to me…let me rip you…let me tear you…come to me… let me kill you…come…"_

Harry froze. Snape who was coming back with an armful of things was about to shout sarcastically at Harry for not helping him, when he saw Harry completely frozen with a horrible look on his face.

Snape placed all the things carefully on the large work table and turned to Harry.

"Potter" he asked softly, his black eyes showing concern at the way Harry was standing.

Harry shook himself and turned to Snape.

"It has started Snape. The basilisk is moving. I just heard it hissing almost the same words like last time. It wants to kill. I have to tackle the basilisk first, before getting the diary horcrux from Ginny. Before, the basilisk could harm someone."

"Shall we go tonight?" Snape asked him, his own eyes disturbed as he processed what Harry was saying.

"Yes. But Ginny must not be there, and the basilisk must be there. What if the basilisk is moving around in Hogwarts and it is not inside the chamber? Let me just think on it for a second, Snape." Harry was very troubled.

Snape did not say a word more. Instead he allowed Harry to think and started getting the ingredients ready to start the Ancestry potion.

_**End of Chapter – 16**_

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	17. Chapter 17

_**Thank you, all of you who have read this story and to all of you who have taken that extra moment to post a review. Thank you, Harriverse, pisces146**_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 17**_

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Harry sat there for some time lost completely in his thoughts. He had heard the basilisk very clearly. So just in two weeks the basilisk was already moving around the School. The first to be petrified had been Mrs. Norris. When did that happen? It had been a little later into the School year last time. Now things were rushing on, simply. Was it because he, Harry was rushing things or was the timeline truly changed?

'Potter?' a soft voice interrupted his solemn thoughts and Harry looked up startled. Snape was looking at him with, was that concern, in his black eyes? 'Potter? Are you alright?'

'Yes, Snape. I just heard the basilisk already. The last time I heard the hissing of the basilisk much later. This time, it is only two weeks after School and I can hear the basilisk calling out to me to come to it, so that it can kill me…'

Snape stared at Harry. 'You can speak Parseltongue?' he asked.

Harry pointed at the scar. 'This is a kind of a link to Voldemort. This was the scar he gave me when he tried to kill me. I can speak Parceltongue and peep into his mind if necessary. That was why I learnt Occlumency in the first place.'

Snape's lips thinned and it looked as he was suppressing a shudder. He did not say anything, though. 'Do you still want to keep quiet about the basilisk?'

'Yes, no, I don't know! I want to observe a bit, but what if someone is killed outright this time instead of just becoming petrified like last time?' Harry shook his head violently trying to clear it. 'I really, don't know what to do Snape.' Harry looked at Snape, his eyes showing he was very disturbed.

Snape stared into those green eyes for a while and abruptly turned away. 'Come, let us start the potion. If Dumbledore comes in, he will become very suspicious. I will think about this and so will you and we can talk about this a little while later.'

They went to work silently and for the next half hour, Snape made him do the basic chopping and cutting, while he set the cauldron for the potion. The potion needed three cauldrons with separate potions prepared and then joined to the main potion that would be prepared later. It was tedious brewing and it needed to be attended to everyday.

Harry was thinking furiously as he chopped flobberworms, one of the cheapest and easiest things to chop for this potion; the last time he had heard it during detention with Lockhart and after Hermione was called a mudblood by Malfoy. This year he would not be calling Hermione a mudblood because that incident had already happened. How was Ginny? Harry's heart clenched a bit. In the two weeks he had been here, he had steered clear of Ginny. Ron was still on the periphery of his circle but the twins were closer. Hey understood and hopefully Ron would too. Harry did not want to lose his best friend this time. He had already lost too much; Ginny, and his kids with her; their amazing life together.

Harry felt truly miserable as he chopped mechanically wading in a lot of pity as he thought of his plight. It was a sorry state of affairs where, he could not even speak casually to Ginny. About half an hour later, there was a knock at the door and Snape flicked his wand and cancelled all the spells just in time, as Dumbledore opened the door. Harry was still chopping some roots and he did not look up, and Snape looked at Dumbledore and his lips curled. 'Your golden boy is fine Headmaster.' He said softly, but very sarcastically.

Dumbledore sighed. 'I know you start the potion today, Severus and I came here to see the potions started. I will not be coming here time and again. I just wanted to wish you and Harry luck and also hand over my contribution for the potion.'

Dumbledore placed a large bag of galleons on the table and smiled at Harry, who had stopped chopping and was looking at the interaction between Snape and Dumbledore.

'Thank you so much sir. But you need not have.' Harry told him, speaking for the first time.

'I know Harry. But I would like to. As will the other professors. Severus will have their contributions that include his own by tonight. This is an extremely beneficial idea and I am sorry to say I never thought of my self. We could have used this in the first war. You have thought of this though, and I hope this will make our world more accepting of muggleborns.'

Harry smiled and nodded and turned back to his chopping, which he did precisely and efficiently. Dumbledore left after a minute in which he was apparently mind – speaking with Snape.

Once he left, Snape placed the wards again and continued with his work silently for some time. After a good two hours and the potions were well and truly started, Snape and Harry sank down into chairs and stared at each other. They had half an hour before tending to the potion once again.

'Potter, I think we must act like we did with the Stone. We must get rid of the basilisk; that is more dangerous than anything else. Or if you can, we can bind it to you and make it your familiar. That would be equally beneficial.' Snape finished thoughtfully, looking intently at Harry all the time.

Harry shook his head. 'The basilisk id already bonded with Voldemort. I doubt, I can wean it away from Voldemort and bind it to me without looking into its eyes and at that moment I will surely die. Moaning Myrtle, you know the ghost who haunts the second floor unused bathroom, died like that.'

'What!' Snape exclaimed.

'Myrtle was a muggleborn, who was sorted into Slytherin when Voldemort attended School, Snape. He killed her and made a horcrux; the diary that we want to destroy in fact. He used the basilisk for that and did not kill her personally. I think the basilisk is bonded to him, and now with the diary, the re-ownership of the basilisk has already been established. That means Ginny has already been possessed at least once, because I heard the basilisk today. So he has re-asserted his command over the basilisk and I doubt it will listen to us. What we must do is to kill it and remove it without the knowledge of the diary or Ginny who is under the control of the diary and make sure he will not use the basilisk to unleash horror in the school.'

'The diary?' Snape asked while he processed everything Harry told him.

'We must take care of that later. Maybe even try and steal it from Ginny. Last time Ginny, in a moment of sanity threw the diary into the unused girl's bathroom on the second floor, where the entrance to the Chamber is. Perhaps she will do that this time too and we may be able to take it then and destroy it.' Harry told him, his eyes reflecting his mind that was years away as he thought of the last time.

-------

Snape watched the boy he had been prepared to hate; James Potter's boy. But lately, especially once he had known Harry was from the future, he had slowly forgotten his past with James Potter and had been drawn to this boy until, he now never thought of Harry as James or even Lily's child. Snape's eyes widened as the last thought came to his mind. He had also forgotten that Harry was Lily's boy as well. He had been relating to just Harry, not James's boy and not Lily's. Just Harry.

He looked at Harry who was frowning to himself, probably thinking about the horcrux and how to destroy them, he supposed and he waited silently, his own thoughts of the Boy-Who-Lived, very chaotic and confused.

------

Harry was in fact thinking about the diary and also about Ginny. He was feeling very bitter and after wallowing in his miserable thoughts, Harry sighed deeply from the bottom of his heart and looked at Snape only to find him watching Harry. Harry smiled wryly at Snape and shook his head.

'When shall we do this?' Harry asked Snape, as they got to their feet and proceeded to the cauldrons that were bubbling merrily.

'Tonight?' Snape asked.

Harry nodded as he once again began chopping. 'Though I will confirm after I check with the map. If Ginny is sleeping, then it should be okay. You wait right here, in the dungeons until I come. Better not be in the second floor before we are able to deduce that Ginny will not come today. If she does and catches you, you may have trouble. Okay?'

Snape was silent for a while and then he reluctantly nodded his head, seeing the sense of Harry's words.

'If I don't come by midnight, I will not come tonight, and then we will do this once again tomorrow.' Harry told him, carefully scooping the newts eyes and dropping them a few at a time into the third cauldron.

'What if the Dark Lord possesses her again tomorrow?' Snape asked him, chopping some leaves.

'I will check the map every day until I am certain that she will not leave the dorms. On that day I will come to you. We will just have to sit tight on this one Snape. We cannot afford to make Voldemort suspicious, because then we will be going into the unknown once again.'

Snape nodded once and then after another half hour, he sent Harry away.

'Come tonight after you are sure and don't do silly Gryffindor things and get yourself killed. Now get out.' Snape told him and Harry smiled at Snape who did not smile back, but did not scowl either; he just looked inscrutably at Harry as Harry walked to the door and cancelling Snape's wards with a wave of his hand, walked out.

Malfoy, Hermione, Neville along with many others were waiting for Harry in the Great Hall. They simply pounced upon him the moment they saw him and Harry spent the rest of the day explaining what he did to the others and also discussing everything with them. He also saw Ginny with them, looking rather miserable as she sat by Percy, listening to everything.

Did Ginny already understand about the evilness in the diary? Harry desperately hoped so and prayed she would throw it away soon. The day sped fast and Harry, Hermione and Neville along with Malfoy, Blaise and Pansy walked down to the dungeons and knocked at the potion lab's door, in the evening just after dinner.

'Enter.' A soft and yet clear voice sounded and all of them entered nervously to find Snape stirring a cauldron, in a precise anti-clockwise direction. He did not look up at them until he finished and this time Snape asked Harry and Hermione to stay and told the others to leave.

Hermione was thrilled and she simply shivered in anticipation of helping with the potion and she cheerfully chopped and crushed and helped Snape along with Harry. They worked silently and after an hour, Snape dismissed them. The potion would continue to simmer for a long, long time. Harry and a very self satisfied Hermione left the potions lab and walked right into the others who had come with them and Harry let Hermione speak about the potion and what they had done in the lab the last hour.

Harry kept quiet and he went up along with the others smiling slightly and nodding at the appropriate places. Ginny was no where to be seen and Harry frowned. That meant she was elsewhere and he hoped it was not in the Chamber. Slowly the Harry and his Gryffindors group left the Slytherins and went up to their common rooms and settled for the night. Ginny was not in the common room also and Harry feigning tiredness, bid goodnight to Hermione and went up with Neville, Ron and the others.

Once Harry finished washing, he exchanged goodnights with the others and sat on his bed, after securely closing the curtains together. He took out his map and looked for Ginny. She was in the Chamber!

Harry sighed with extreme disappointment. Tonight was out. He kept looking at the Chamber of Secrets, but the basilisk was not there or it had not been called. He watched for some more time, but only Ginny was there walking around the Chamber. He sighed and lay back on the bed, wondering what he could do to remove Ginny out of the control of that diary. The first obviously would be to kill the basilisk and then take care of the diary, maybe even ask one of the elves to steal it for him. But whom could he ask who would not betray him later on, simply because he was not their Master.

Harry decided he could not take the risk and he would have to somehow steal it from Ginny or wait until she threw the book in the second floor bathroom. He lay awake for a long time that night before he fell asleep. He did not sleep well that night and woke up late, only after Neville woke him up.

'Bad night, Nev, I'll be only a minute, you carry on if you're hungry.' Harry told him, sleepily, his eyes tired and shadows already appearing lightly under his eyes.

Neville was looking very worried and concerned. Harry never slept later and never had Neville seen him look so tired. 'Are you okay, Harry?' he asked in concern. 'You're looking so tired.'

'I am Nev. Had a bad night and did not sleep well. All that excitement about starting the potion I think, I had dreams of chopping all kinds of yuck things, I kept waking up. To-night, I'll turn in early and I'll be fine.' Harry smiled widely at Neville even as he pulled out his clothes from his trunk and ran to the bathroom, shouting to Neville, 'Coming in a minute Nev,' before he ran to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

Harry was as good as his word and in a few minutes, he was thundering down the stairs and greeted Hermione and Neville cheerfully.

'Harry, Neville was telling me you did not sleep too well?' Hermione asked Harry, looking at him with a critical eye.

'I didn't, Hermione. I was way too excited yesterday and that did not help me sleep properly. I am not so tired now after having a nice hot shower and am more than fine. Come on! I am hungry.' Harry finished with a whine and Hermione relaxed and the three of them went down to breakfast. It was Sunday and they ate leisurely, chatting mainly about the potion and wondering whom Hermione and Harry's mother were descended from.

'It would be wonderful to know and all these prejudices about muggleborns will never be there.' Hermione said enthusiastically. Neville and Harry simply smiled and let her talk.

Once they finished, they were joined by the twins and Ron and all of them went down to the dungeons once again and knocked on Snape's door, wondering whom Snape would choose to cut, chop and grind today.

Usually this type of work would have made everyone of them except Hermione run a mile but with the potion, everyone wanted to do something, to contribute and be a part of its making.

Snape opened the door and motioned only Harry to come inside and asked the others to get out. 'Both of you can come in the evening and grind beetle eyes for the potion. Now leave.' Snape told the twins and everyone left, Hermione with a look of great disappointment, but Snape did not even notice. 'Potter, cut the mandrake leaves, very thin and length-wise.' He was heard saying as he shut the door.

The others trooped out, with the twins looking excited. They would have their chance with the potion in the evening. Hermione was looking very down. 'Cheer up Hermione. Maybe Snape will ask for you tomorrow.' Neville told her.

'But why should he ask for Harry everyday and us only by rotation? That's just not fair.' Hermione protested.

'Because it was Harry's idea and he's seeing if Harry will stick through this. So he's pushing Harry and hoping that Harry will say he's tired or something or show disinterest.' Fred told her reasonably.

Hermione was distracted by this. She smiled. 'Professor Snape really does not know Harry very well, does he? Harry will see this through, I know.' She said and then from there all of them went up pretty satisfied with everything.

Meanwhile Harry and Snape were busy working, deciding to attend to the potion first, before talking. They worked in silence for sometime and after adding the as usual chopped and ground potion ingredients, Snape sat down and looked at Harry who was still adding the last bits of Belladonna leaves.

This potion almost required all the potion ingredients available and they had to be added in a precise manner. Added to that most of the ingredients were expensive and brewing tedious. That was why it was not usually attempted.

Snape sat there looking at Harry almost without blinking, deep in thought as he looked at the boy/man who was busy adding to the boiling potion. Harry Potter! Snape was bewildered, baffled and totally confused by this boy. He had tried questioning many times about the future, but Potter was giving him only what was necessary, not a wee bit more. Snape did not even know who else died apart from Dumbledore.

He also very badly wanted to speak to Lily, Potter had hesitated for a minute before he had answered Snape's question, whether Lily had spoken to him in a friendly manner or had she maintained the silence she had after she broke off with him. But Potter had not answered right away, though he had made all the right noises, and Snape thinking about that moment later, was understandably worried. But he did not know how to ask Harry about Lily. She was his mother and she was married to another man.

Here Snape scowled. The despicable James Potter. What did Lily see in him, he wondered that she would go and marry him of all the persons available in the Wizarding World. Snape scowled even more, a bit of jealousy, hatred, dislike and envy all mixed in his general hatred of James Potter.

From there Snape's eyes went to Harry. He was so different from James and even from Lily. While he was an adult mentally, even then Snape found him very much different from James, Lily, Sirius and Remus. While in the past Harry did not have any of them while he was growing up, even after the portraits were activated and even after speaking to his father and the others, he was still willing to acknowledge Snape's contributions to the war, to be polite and respectful to him, brushing aside his knowledge that Snape had been a death eater before he turned to the Light, a time during which he had done maximum harm to everyone and personally to Harry.

Harry finished with adding the leaves and came and sat down in front of Snape. Snape looked at Harry, 'Potter, what happened last night?'

'I saw Ginny there last night Snape. In the chamber. That was why I could not come and get you. I waited for some time but she was there until I went off to sleep. I could not take the risk to meet Ginny when she is possessed. What if Voldemort harms her permanently?'

Snape nodded once. 'To-night then?'

'Yes, if Ginny is asleep. If I don't come tonight then it will be because Ginny is in the Chamber. Unless I see her in her dorm, I will not try and venture out.' Harry told him and they left it at that.

That evening only the twins were called to help and Harry and Hermione along with Neville and the other Slytherins spent the day sitting by the lake. The weather was still very fine and all of them wanted to be outside as much as possible.

The days sped by and Ginny was in the Chamber of Secrets every single day. The first week it was only Ginny there, but slowly Harry also saw the basilisk along with Ginny and later, the basilisk leaving the Chamber by using the pipes. Harry lost much of his sleep that month and the next and kept watch over Ginny, every night until he dropped off to sleep.

There were no attacks anywhere until now, and Harry remembered that the first attack had been Mrs. Norris who was petrified on Halloween. Harry had seen it when he had come back from the death day party of Nearly Headless Nick. Apart from that first time, Harry, himself never heard the basilisk.

The potion was going smoothly and by the first week of October almost all the muggleborn students were prepared to brave Snape's harsh tongue and volunteer to help with the chopping, cutting and grinding of the potion ingredients. Almost everyone had also contributed and Snape had also started a second batch just two weeks after he started the first batch, so that more muggleborns could be tested.

Harry's days were busy in writing to Sirius and Remus who were constantly telling him to be careful and never to go anywhere alone, especially to Snape's lab. Harry had laughed at the implication of Snape's evilness and had promised accordingly. His nights were spent in watching Ginny who left at about eleven every night and came back long after Harry went off to sleep.

She was very quiet during the day and never spoke much. Harry also noticed Percy watching Ginny with worry, and even saw him speak to a very flustered Ginny and knew Percy was very worried for her.

The more closer the days moved towards Halloween, the more anxious Harry became. He told Snape that Mrs. Norris was attacked first and it had been during Halloween and there was frustration in his tone. Snape had not reacted to Harry's anxiety, but he too had felt the same.

They had discussed going into the Chamber so early in the School year, but Halloween was almost upon them and they still could not get into the Chamber. The Weasley girl was there everyday. Harry had even left the parchment with him for a week, because he had wanted to see for himself. He had watched and every day just like Harry had said, she would leave for the Chamber in the night and come back only in the wee hours of the morning. What was she doing there and why should she stay there for such a long time every night was perplexing, but like Harry said, they could barge in there and confront the Dark Lord when he was possessing her. Not after seeing what he had done to Quirrell.

Snape also saw the basilisk and had shuddered in fear when he saw it leaving the Chamber one night. He had sat still that night watching the basilisk as it roamed around the School and had breathed only when it went back into the Chamber without hurting anyone else.

Soon it was Halloween and Harry spent the day in anxious anticipation of what would happen. He prayed and prayed that Mrs. Norris would only be petrified and not killed like Moaning Myrtle. Snape was also equally anxious, though no one guessed it apart from Dumbledore who could not understand why. He attributed it wrongly to the potion Snape was brewing, because Snape left the dining room quickly saying he had to attend to the blasted potion.

This time Harry did not ask Nearly Headless Nick about his death day and so he did not attend the death day party. The moment the sumptuous Halloween dinner was over, Harry, Hermione and Neville left for the Library and sat there writing their transfiguration essays that needed to be handed in the next day. Harry however, had the map with him and was looking on and off in the second floor corridor.

But he missed seeing the basilisk when he closed it to concentrate on the essay and when he opened it next, he noticed Mrs. Norris roughly in the same place as before, just outside the unused bathroom on the second floor.

Harry wanted to run and see what had happened but he did not want to alert Hermione or Neville. The Slytherins were not with them that day because they had a party in the Slytherin common room and Draco had swaggered off to have fun. Harry yawned suddenly, 'Hermione, come on, let's take it easy. We have finished Transfiguration and we can do the rest tomorrow. Let us go to our common room, laze around a bit and sleep early today.'

Hermione looked at Harry in surprise, but seeing Neville nod along with Harry, she reluctantly agreed with Harry and soon the three of them walked leisurely to their common room. Harry threw himself on the comfortable couch and sat silently waiting for some news of some kind.

It came from Ron and the twins after half an hour. Ron, Dean, Seamus, the twins, Lee Jordon and Katie Bell burst into the Gryffindor common room their faces full of fear, excitement and horror. Harry had been keeping watch over Ginny the whole day, but she had vanished into the Chamber just after dinner. She still had to come back.

'You will never believe what happened just now. The Chamber of secrets has been opened!' Ron shouted as he came towards Harry, Hermione and Neville.

'What?' Harry asked trying to look astonished when he wanted to know everything all at once. 'Calm down Ron. What happened? No one was hurt were they?'

Ron shook his head very fast. 'No, unless you were to count Mrs. Norris. She was hanging all stiff as if dead, you know,' Ron gulped as he remembered and Seamus and Dean shuddered. 'Dumbledore said she was petrified, Harry. What does it mean?'

Slowly Harry understood what had happened. This time it was Flich who had discovered unlike last time, when he had accused Harry of killing Mrs. Norris. This time Harry had not been there and Ron and the others who were coming back from dinner had been alerted to the sounds of shouting from Flich and had to him to see the writing on the wall and Mrs. Norris petrified by a 'monster' that had been unleashed from the Chamber of Secrets.

Harry and the others sat in the common room, sleep all forgotten as they discussed loud and long about just what the monster could be and how it could have petrified Mrs. Norris. There were a few fearful comments about what would happen had it been one of the students or a professor. That set off another round of discussions that were carried out in a slightly scared tone.

Harry looked around and sighed as he did not see Ginny among the students and she still had not come even after Harry and the others had started going up to their dorms to sleep. Harry sped through his nightly washing and after wishing Neville and Ron and the others 'goodnight', Harry closed his curtains and opened his map.

Ginny was still in the Chamber and Harry sat there for almost an hour, watching her before he went to sleep. It was an hour before the basilisk came back into the Chamber and another two hours before Ginny came back to the Gryffindor common room. Harry had slept by that time.

_**End of Chapter – 17**_

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	18. Chapter 18

_**Thank you, all of you who have read this story so far and to all of you who took a minute to post a review. Thank you, Harriverse, Raven2090, skeptic (you got it right, that's what I did!)**_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 18**_

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The next day dawned bright and just a bit cold. They were into November and cold days would become the normal state of affairs at Hogwarts. Harry was up and early and he checked the map first and was relieved to see Ginny sleeping in her dorm. He put the map away and got out of bed and ran for the bathrooms. He was ready in no time and seeing Neville and Hermione still sleeping by way of the map in Hermione's case and by peeping into Neville's curtains in his case, Harry swiftly walked down to the potions lab, by passing the Great Hall.

Snape was tending to the Ancestry Potion and he scowled when he saw Harry. 'Why are you so early?' then his expression changed. 'Is there a problem Potter?' he asked seeing Harry's expression.

Harry threw his bag on a chair nearby and then also threw himself on to another chair and looked at Snape with a disturbing look in his green eyes. Snape saw that look and immediately warded the room and also added spy wards to tell him if any one would approach the door. There was no floo here so there was no danger of anyone coming through it suddenly.

'You know what happened yesterday, Snape. Thankfully it was like last time Mrs. Norris was only petrified instead of outright killed by the basilisk. Only last time I discovered it and Flich accused me of killing his cat and this time he discovered it himself. But what if next time the basilisk manages to kill somebody?'

'You are the one who says we must not go into the Chamber and kill the basilisk.' Snape pointed out as he added some dragon claw powder to the potion.

'It is a horcrux of Voldemort that possesses her Snape. You saw what happened with Quirrell. We just cannot take a chance of attacking the basilisk if Ginny is there, because she is probably possessed and we would be meeting the Dark Lord and not her in the Chamber. And with the Dark Lord having complete control not only over Ginny but also over the basilisk, we would lose even before we begin to attack.'

Snape did not answer at once. He turned and attended to the potion one more time and then left it for the day. He would attend to it next only in the evening. 'Well what can we do Potter? We must and can only wait. That would be prudent.'

'Well,' Harry got up as he sighed deeply. 'I will keep watch as I have everyday and the moment I see Ginny in her dorm, I will come down and we will go and tackle the basilisk inside. I will leave now for breakfast. Bye.'

'Bye?' Snape glared at Harry's impertinence. 'Ten points from Gryffindor, Potter for assuming familiarity with a professor.' He said trying to get his usual nasty form with Harry. He had forgotten about it in the discussion of what had happened last night.

Harry laughed and waved cheekily and walked out. It was still early and not many people were there in the corridors. Harry walked up to the Great Hall and sat down in his usual place. Hermione and Neville had still not come down and Harry enjoyed a solitary breakfast, thinking about everything and nothing in general.

He was finishing when Hermione and Neville ran in and then stopped abruptly in relief when they saw Harry. A second later, both came running to him and Hermione scowled. "Where did you go so early? We have been searching for you.'

Harry looked surprised. 'But I have been right here Hermione.'

'No you haven't. We came here sometime ago and you were not here and we went to the Library and searched all over the place and you were not there anywhere. I thought something happened to you Harry. Like with Mrs. Norris.' Hermione's voice trembled as she looked at Harry, her eyes full of relief, anger, accusations and fear.

Harry's green eyes softened in understanding as he looked at Hermione and Neville who was also showing relief and fear, but no anger. 'Sorry, Hermione, Neville. I never thought to leave a note as I should have. I got up early and went to professor Snape to ask him if he needed any help and I stayed there until he threw me out and then I have been here. We must have just missed each other here, I think.'

Hermione's eyes flashed in relief and understanding. 'Oh, Harry I am so sorry. We were so worried.' She said looking at Neville who nodded with a grin.

Harry smiled. 'That's okay, Hermione. I feel nice that both of you think this much of me.'

Hermione brushed his comment away and from there they chatted mostly about what happened the day before. 'What could have made Mrs. Norris as good as dead, though, I wonder? I will look for monsters in the library and see if there is anything there.' she said and frowned at Harry and Neville when they groaned simultaneously and then laughed.

By then the Great Hall was getting filled up and soon everywhere there was only speculation about the monster that had attacked Mrs. Norris. Harry waited for Hermione and Neville to finish their breakfast and then the three of them got up to go for their classes when Harry saw Percy coming in with a very subdued and frightened Ginny.

Harry's heart twisted inside him and his soul went to the girl who was suffering so much. Percy was looking grim, as he held on tightly to his sister's arm and was almost dragging her to the tables.

'Are you alright Ginny? Percy is there something wrong with her? She looks so dull and as if in pain.' Harry asked Ginny and Percy, speaking for the first time to Ginny after he had said hello to her after she had been sorted.

'I… I am fine th-thanks.' Ginny stammered looking everywhere but at Harry, while Percy looked on grimly. 'She is missing our mother Harry. Nothing much. Now kindly excuse us, we have to have our breakfast.'

'Sure Percy.' Harry said looking sympathetically at Ginny who blushed and went on with Percy to have her breakfast.

Harry walked with his friends outside feeling terribly sad for Ginny. The weather was beginning to get colder and soon it would be only cold and colder Harry knew. Now though he was taking advantage of the crisp air to clear his head, before going on to his classes. Suddenly there was a shout behind them and Harry turning saw Malfoy, Blaise and Pansy walking towards them. Harry and the other two waited for them to come and they went for a walk, discussing the Chamber.

'Harry,' Malfoy said in a low voice and subtly pulled him behind so that they were lagging behind. Harry turned to him and saw that Malfoy's face was very troubled.

'What is it Draco? Is there a problem?' Harry asked in concern, wondering just what this could be.

'Yesterday the Chamber was opened you know.' Malfoy started haltingly. Harry nodded wondering just where this was heading to. Malfoy blushed a bit and looked straight as he continued in very low tones. 'My father told me that this year there were terrible things planned for all muggleborns and even half-bloods. I really did not know what it could be until now, but seeing what happened yesterday, I think he meant the monster being unleashed from the Chamber. I have written to him to ask him about the monster and if he replies, I will tell you, but until then, be very careful and also ask Hermione to be very careful too. And,' here Malfoy turned to look straight into Harry's eyes, 'don't tell any of them what I told you okay?'

Harry was astounded and totally shocked. He had never expected any of this. Malfoy had changed beyond recognition this time. He was in fact warning him, Harry to be careful and also telling him to advice Hermione to be careful as well. Last time he was hoping Hermione would be killed by the unknown monster and this time he wanted her to be careful.

Things were beginning to change and Harry was hoping that they would not change so much that he would be cast into the unknown, but this particular change was very welcome. Harry now, was silent for a few seconds as he looked deep into worried and anxious grey eyes, before he regarded Malfoy with a very grateful expression on his face and a wide smile gracing his lips.

'That was very kind of you Draco. Just what a friend would do. Of course I will be careful and of course I will ask Hermione to be careful also.' He said, linking his arms with a very pleased Malfoy who apparently liked all the good things Harry told about him.

'But don't tell her it was my father, Harry. I don't want anyone even, Pansy and Blaise to know what Father has told me and can you warn the others as if it is something you thought of by yourself?' he asked bluntly. Harry simply nodded and then they walked silently towards the others.

'What were you two talking about?' Pansy asked, her eyes moving between Draco's slightly flushed face and Harry's smiling one.

'What else but what happened yesterday.' Harry retorted. 'Who are the enemies and who is the Heir? I was saying it must be someone who is in Slytherin, because only Slytherins have heirs and stuff like that and Draco and I were talking about it. What do guys think?' Harry asked, while Draco kept quiet.

They were now walking slowly towards the lake, intending to go around a little it before getting back to the castle for classes. The air was crisp and clean, and there was a cold wind blowing around them, making them feel glad they had their coats over them.

'Of course it is the heir of Slytherin.' Pansy exclaimed. 'Who else can it be? I remember Father telling me about a Chamber of secrets created by Salazar Slytherin.'

'Well, today we have history. I think we should ask professor Binns.' Hermione said with a determined air about her, scowling as everyone sniggered. 'Binns?' Malfoy drawled, his voice mocking, 'Hermione, he won't know a thing. You mark my words.'

'Anyway, I think I shall. Even if he splutters or makes excuses I will ask him and if he does not answer, then I think I will go to professor McGonagall about it.' She said not to be deterred from her aim.

They walked back to class and that after noon Hermione disturbed Binns and asked him about the Chamber of Secrets. Harry watched as Binns explained much like last time and then after class Hermione led everyone, including the Slytherins to an empty classroom for a discussion. Harry had to leave to assist Snape after dinner and because of that Hermione had called everyone now.

'Well, what does everyone think of this?' she asked generally. Harry, Neville, Malfoy and most of the Slytherins along with Ron, Dean and Seamus and Parvati and Lavender were there.

'Nothing Hermione. It is to be expected from a Slytherin of course.' Ron said sarcastically, glaring at everyone in green robes and then bestowing his most hateful stare for Malfoy, who was returning it with interest and had drawn out his wand.

'Will you both shut up?' Harry asked irritably. He was feeling very down since he had seen Ginny in the morning and the fact they were not able to get to either the Diary or the basilisk was not helping his temper any. 'We are here to see how we can be careful. Let us not blame anyone for what someone did a thousand years ago, Ron and Draco put down your wands.'

Both of them scowled but obeyed and then Hermione told all of them to stay in groups and be careful. 'Let us not go out after dinner is over and let us keep together. Please, until Dumbledore deals with it.'

All of them agreed and then they went up, still discussing the dos and don'ts until they reached the Great Hall, where they separated and went to their respective tables. Harry looked at the Head Table and saw a very solemn Dumbledore and other staff members. He looked away again and ate his dinner almost silently, his mind still on Ginny's face he saw that morning.

The next few days went by with Ginny spending more and more time during the nights in the Chamber. Harry wondered how they had never found it last time. Quidditch had completely changed this time. The first time around, Harry and Draco met during the first practise when Draco had called Hermione a mudblood and Ron had spent the morning spitting out slugs. This time that event played out completely differently.

This time Harry knew that the Slytherins had first practise the next morning because of his friendship with Malfoy and he had gone and told Oliver about it. That resulted in Oliver using some choice words against Snape in particular and Slytherins in general and had postponed the Quidditch practise from the morning to after class and went off to McGonagall to get a slip of his own in case the Slytherins came and took over that practise too.

There was also no duelling club this time, Harry having warned Snape about what happened last time and Snape promptly stopped Lockhart's suggestion when it came up in the Halloween staff meeting.

The Saturday night, after Halloween, Harry sat as usual with the map in his dorm. It had been a long day that day, even though they had no classes. Harry had spent the entire morning working with Snape. Hermione and Draco were also helping Snape cut a lot of disgusting potion ingredients. The afternoon had gone in preparation and after dinner, Harry was very tired. He was not sleeping well these days and he was also maintaining as if everything was fine with him. That was taking a toll.

Harry sat in his bed, silently with his map and then he started just a bit. Ginny was no where to be seen in the Chamber and he looked in the girls' dorm and she was there! Harry could not believe his eyes and he checked and re-checked and then was about to change into a Phoenix and flash away to Snape's potions classrooms when he decided to wait for sometime to see if Ginny would actually stay in her dorms that night.

In that time Harry used the map to check for the basilisk and found that it was not in the main chamber and it was not anywhere in the School. Harry did not waste a minute and spelling his curtains closed and taking out his invisibility cloak, draped it over himself and changed into a Phoenix. Harry then flashed to the potion master's lab and changing back knocked loudly. A few minutes later, Snape opened the door and felt something brush past him with an 'it's me Snape'.

Snape quickly closed the door and warded it and went inside. 'What is it Potter? The Chamber is clear tonight?'

Harry nodded and handed over the map to Snape who inspected it thoroughly. 'The thought of what Voldemort would do to Ginny, Snape, is terrifying me. When Voldemort realized the Stone was false, he tortured and killed Quirrell. What if he does that to Ginny?'

Harry's face and voice were very troubled. He had been thinking deeply when he had been sitting alone in his bed all these nights and this was something that had terrified him. He had already spoken to Snape about it, but Snape had silently heard him out and told him they would decide when they got to go.

'The basilisk while very valuable when alive, if it is possessed, Potter then we have no choice. The Dark Lord may have bound the basilisk to the diary after he created the horcrux and if he has done so, then we just cannot take a chance and let it live.' He had said cryptically and totally out of context, then.

Now Snape said the same thing and added, 'I have thought of what you said Potter and surprisingly for a Potter you have indeed thought out the problem well.' he sneered mildly and Harry rolled his eyes, smiling a bit, even though he was very worried about Ginny. Trust Snape to make a compliment sound like an insult.

'Well what should we do? I really want to tackle the basilisk in case this time it goes on and kills someone.' Harry looked into the distance trying to understand and come to some kind of clarity about all this.

'I think we should kill the basilisk, Potter.' Snape said. 'We cannot allow a possessed monster to roam around in the School. Only we will remove the basilisk from the Chamber and let the Diary think, the snake has gone out and is not coming back. The Dark Lord will not suspect you or Miss. Weasley. He will be puzzled and we will try and take the diary from her and destroy it as soon as possible. Come on.' Snape looked once more at the map and then started casting invisibility charms on himself and Harry. Harry also threw the invisibility cloak over him, Snape sneered magnificently when Harry asked him to come into the cloak.

'I really do not need such contraptions Potter.' He said. Harry rolled his eyes. 'You are jealous. This is an invisibility cloak Snape, not any ordinary contraption.' Snape did not answer but sneered only, this time Harry could not see the sneer because they were both invisible and walked away, holding the map in his hands. He had cast a disillusionment charm on the map once more before walking towards the second floor un-used girls' bathroom.

But today Ginny was still in her dorm and so they reached there safely and Harry quickly went to the tap that never worked and hissed, '_open'_ and watched as the whole section of the sink opened. Snape looked his eyes wide in his face as the most secret Chamber created by the Founder of his House was being opened in front of his eyes.

'Jump down Snape' Harry told him and he went in first, falling through the tunnel. Harry landed in a heap on top of a lot of bones and hastily stood up and moved away, just in time too, because Snape was falling down, though he was coming slowly and landing perfectly. Harry scowled. Snape had removed his invisibility spells, though Harry had kept them on as he jumped. Harry removed them off himself and then walked briskly, after casting a 'lumos' spell that gave a steady beam of light. Snape checked the map for Ginny once again. She was still asleep in her dormitory and he walked behind Harry, equally briskly, his own wand emitting a ray of light as well.

They soon reached the door and Harry shivered just a little. '_Open_' he hissed and the door opened at once. Harry and Snape conjured a whole lot of roosters and placed a silencing charm on them and let them inside and then Harry took a deep breath and walked into the huge chamber.

The chamber was the same as he had seen it last time and Snape looked one more time at the map to checking Ginny was still sleeping and then put it inside his robes. Snape then gave his attention to the huge Chamber and Harry and Snape started their systematic search of any other rooms inside of the Chamber. There was nothing. Harry felt a bit disappointed. He had hoped to find Salazar's personal room or library or some such thing, that he had missed last time, in his frightening fight with the basilisk, but there was nothing to be seen.

'Where does the basilisk come from? There is nothing here to show it is housed here.' Snape asked looking up at the huge statue of Salazar Slytherin.

'It comes from inside his mouth.' Snape turned to Harry with a disbelieving look on his face. 'What?' he asked.

'Yes, Snape. If I call out in Parseltongue, then the basilisk will emerge from the mouth of Salazar Slytherin. There seems to be nothing here, I think Voldemort probably cleaned up everything here. He must have been here so many times in the past. I will hiss in Parseltongue and the moment the mouth of Salazar Slytherin's statue opens, let us go to the doorway and when we see the basilisk coming out cancel the silencing charm on the roosters. Okay?'

Snape simply nodded, his wand held straight and steady, his eyes, looking at the statue already. Harry took a deep breath and said the words he had heard a young Tom Riddle say so many years ago. '_Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of Hogwarts four_.' Harry hissed and saw with awe as did Snape, as the mouth of the ancient Salazar Slytherin began to open.

The moment Harry noticed some movement he began to start walking backwards, his wand held aloft. The basilisk was coming out and Harry could hear its angry hissing, '_Who is that? It is not my Master? Who dares call for me apart from my Master?' _

Harry waited until that last second and just when in another second, the basilisk would have come out; Harry cancelled the silencing spells of the roosters. Snape started conjuring some more roosters and all of them were squawking for all that they were worth. Harry and Snape were at the door when they heard a loud hiss of pain, '_Noooo_' and they stepped outside in alarm and Harry quickly shut the door and warded it. Now Harry and Snape could not hear the roosters and all noise was shut off. It was deathly quiet and Harry was feeling very nervous and not a little frightened.

They waited for a few minutes and then Harry opened the door, simultaneously conjuring a few more roosters and letting them cry. A minute later Harry and behind him Snape, stepped inside the room and slowly lifted his eyes to the mouth of Salazar Slytherin.

The head of the ancient basilisk was hanging out of Salazar's mouth and it was very, very dead. Its yellow eyes were closed and there was no movement at all. Snape went forward and cast his wand looking for life in the old basilisk and then turned to Harry and pronounced it dead. Harry then levitated the basilisk along with Snape's help and soon had the whole basilisk on the floor. Snape conjured huge vials and removed all the venom and with many preservation charms, he cut the basilisk into many pieces and once again cast preservation charms on all the pieces and then packed all of them into special containers he conjured.

'I will transfer the pieces into other containers and then tell you tomorrow. You may come and ward the whole package. We will need the venom until all the horcruxes are destroyed and then we may decide what to do with it.' Snape told him. Harry nodded absent minded and then closed the mouth by the simple means of, '_Thank you, Slytherin, the greatest of Hogwarts Four._' And watched the mouth close.

Snape shrunk all the packages and Harry vanished the roosters and then Snape started out of the passage, once again checking for Ginny. But Ginny was still in her dorm and Snape walked out to the base of the tunnel and waited for Harry.

Harry in the meantime was busy removing the traces of their magic and any evidence of their stay in the Chamber. He soon joined Snape, whose black eyes were gleaming with pleasure. He was probably thinking of the basilisk and all the potions he could make from it, Harry thought, grinning to himself as he joined Snape to leave the Chamber, hopefully for ever, this time.

Snape flicked his wand and a staircase fitted itself from the ground to the entrance to the third floor bathroom and once again applying invisibility charms on themselves and Harry climbed the steps, removing their magical traces as he moved upwards to the entrance.

There Snape yet again checked the map and then went outside, with Harry following him under the invisibility cloak. '_Close_' he hissed and watched the Chamber close of its own accord.

'Who is there?' Harry and Snape jumped as they turned to see Moaning Myrtle who was floating very near to them. She could not see Harry who was under the cloak, but Harry did not know if she could see Snape. He, himself could not, but he did not know about ghosts and he quickly conjured a small snake and let it levitate in the air very near Myrtle and started moving quickly towards the door.

'Oooh!' Myrtle screeched and floated to the last bathroom and flushed down loudly. 'Come on! And give me the map! I am going back to my dorm from here.' He hissed softly and snatched the now visible parchment when it came floating towards him, and opened the door. Harry went out first and a second later Snape came out and made himself visible.

'Walk.' He said and Harry walked towards the Gryffindor common room and the moment he said the password and opened the door, Snape walked away. It was almost morning and Harry knew he would have a terrible day because he had not slept at all. He went up his dorm and crept into his bed safely, changing his robes and cleaning himself with a few flicks of his wand. In about three seconds Harry was asleep.

The next thing Harry knew was being shaken awake by Neville who was looking very worried. 'Harry, are you okay?' he was asking as Harry opened a bloodshot eye and peered at Neville.

'Whassat? Where's the fire?' he asked almost falling asleep again, and Neville giggled. 'No fire, Harry, but it almost time for classes. Hermione and I have finished our breakfast and we have to go for Charms. We got you some breakfast, which Hermione has kept in the common room under a warming charm, so you wash and come down. Okay?'

Harry blinked as he processed that and then he blinked again. He sighed and then smiled. 'Sorry, Nev. I was studying late into the night and I am feeling so sleepy now. I will come down in a minute okay?'

Neville laughed and went down to Hermione. Harry, wishing he had asked for a pepper up potion from Snape last night, grumpily went to the bathrooms and in about ten minutes, came down, looking a bit better.

'What were you reading Harry?' was the greeting Hermione gave him and Harry sighed as Neville giggled again. 'What else but the Self Updating Book of Spells, Hermione. I was reading about the origin of Runes and I found it fascinating.' Harry replied, as he mentally braced himself for all sorts of questions about Runes, from Hermione. He answered them as he ate hurriedly, thanking his stars that class was due to begin and they had very little time for Hermione to properly question him.

Harry thanked them and soon they were running down for Charms with Professor Flitwick.

_**End of Chapter – 18**_

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	19. Chapter 19

_**Thank you all of you who have read this story so far and to everyone who reviewed. Thank you Ana.**_

_**I wish all of you a very **__**HAPPY NEW YEAR, FULL OF PEACE, PROSPERITY AND HAPPINESS!**_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 19**_

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Charms went off smoothly, with Harry sleeping through the class. That day went by slowly and Harry watched Ginny carefully. She seemed alright and so Harry concluded that she had not gone into the Chamber and so did not discover that the basilisk was gone. Harry relaxed for the rest of the day sleeping in most of his classes. He had not been able to go to Snape's potion Lab and ward the containers that held the basilisk. In fact Harry was wondering if he should also place the basilisk in his vault. It would really not do for Dumbledore or anybody else to stumble upon it.

Harry finished dinner and walked down with Hermione, Neville and Malfoy to the dungeons and walked inside. Hermione also walked in determinedly intending to beg Snape to allow her to stay. She had been asked to help a few times, but for Hermione, those times were not enough and she wanted to do a lot more in the potion's progress.

Today, Snape, though looked at all them for a second, including Hermione's hopeful face. 'Potter stay. The rest of you leave!'

Hermione's face fell comically, but she still remembered George's words that if she insisted Snape, even at this stage of making the potion would stop it. So with a reproachful look at the Potions Master, who did not even look back at her; he was already striding to the ingredients room to presumably bring something; Hermione left the potions lab along with Neville and Malfoy.

'We will be in the Library, Harry. Or if you will be here until dinner,' Hermione's voice just had a trace of envy, 'then we will be in the Great Hall.'

Harry nodded and smiled and turned to the dittany and started attending to it. The moment all of them left, Snape came back with an armful of leaves and placing it all on the table, and spoke briskly to Harry.

'The containers are all here.' Snape flicked his wand and two shrunken boxes were visible at once corner of the potions lab. Harry quickly went to work and soon warded them with both Snape's and his own blood, so that apart from them no one could get to the shrunken boxes. It would take a true master of warding; someone like Dumbledore or Flamel to get around it.

Harry finished the warding and then quietly settled down to help with the potions, while Snape took the containers to his chambers to keep them safely. Harry finished with Snape and later that night he opened the map and sat down with it. But surprisingly, Ginny was still in her dorms. Having a sudden doubt, Harry sealed his curtains, cast the invisibility charms upon himself and changing into a Phoenix flashed to the second floor bathroom and checked it thoroughly. But three was no diary and he flashed back disappointed to his dorm.

He activated the map yet again, but Ginny was still in her dorm, and Harry feeling both relieved and anxious, for her, went to sleep. Ginny stayed away from the chamber in the next few weeks and slowly Harry relaxed. Quidditch practise had started and Harry was practising very hard for the most awaited match of the season. Gryffindors vs. Slytherins.

Harry wondered about the fact that Ginny/ Voldemort were taking a break. He tried to remember the last time and from what he could remember, he realized that the petrifactions had continued at regular intervals and not altogether at once. Harry checked the map everyday but when it looked that Ginny was in her dorm, he relaxed. He also flashed every night to the second floor bathroom and checked for the diary. He was still to have any success, in finding it, though.

The first match of the season was one of the most awaited matches in the School as well. Draco had been practising very hard and had wanted to make sure his place in the team would be fixed by his seeker skills, wanting to somehow prove himself in Hermione's eyes of all people. Her scorn and snorts on the train when he had told Harry about being chosen for the Slytherin team, had stung and Draco had had it at the back of his head ever since. He wanted to put up a decent show and prove to her and everyone else that he did deserve his place on the team. Besides, his father was also coming to watch him play and Draco wanted to make Lucius proud.

The day of the match was cold and cloudy, with the clouds looking dark and threatening to pour at any moment. Draco, waking up in excitement; he really did not sleep at all, was very dismayed by the weather. It would be tougher to show off his skills when he would be swaying in the wind and drenched to his skin. He would have to cast a warming charm on himself and also make sure Harry remembered it too. That thought came almost unconsciously to him and he never thought about the strangeness of it.

Harry in the meantime woke up and was not at all fazed by the weather. He had seen much worse before after all. Last time around, in Harry's third year, he had tackled bad weather, dementors and so much really. The weather was only cloudy and Harry knew it would rain before long, but he was not really bothered by it.

Soon all of them were at breakfast and this time, after breakfast, Harry, Hermione and Neville walked up to the slytherin table and grinned at a visibly nervous Draco. 'Good Luck, Draco. Play well.' Harry told him, holding out his hand and Draco smiled a bit, looking very pleased that Harry had come to wish him. However his nerves were all very high strung and he did not do anything more than nodding his head jerkily. 'You too Harry.' as he shook hands with Harry.

Harry grinned at him and walked to the changing rooms, while Hermione and Neville joined Ron, Dean, Seamus and others and went to the Gryffindor stands to cheer for Gryffindor and Harry. Harry changed and sat through Oliver's lecture and then all of them went to the field and there Harry met a nervous Draco Malfoy and grinned at him. Malfoy nodded his head and mouthed something that Harry did not understand. He frowned and tried to decipher Malfoy's words as he said something but before that Madam Hooch had already released the balls and was blowing the whistle.

Harry and Malfoy soared into the air. There Harry did a few loops as did Malfoy before, they got together and Harry hurriedly veered away to avoid a bludger. 'What was it Malfoy? You alright?' Harry screamed into the wind.

'Cast warming charms on yourself Harry, else the wind and the rain that's sure to come will get you.' He shouted at Harry, who grinned at Malfoy and showed the thumbs up sign and applied warming charms upon himself. He had intended to do it later, but now would be as good as a time as any, Harry thought smiling.

The two seekers flew slowly in circles high above the other players, searching for the snitch and trying to finish the game. Below them apart from the occasional bludger that flew towards them, it was the chasers, beaters and the keeper who had a busy time.

Lee Jordon was commenting and he was doing as good a job as he was before, with McGonagall stopping him whenever he acted up a little. 'Flint and his Slytherins may have better brooms than us, but clearly it is the Gryffindors who are superior in everything else.'

'Jordan!' McGonagall shouted into the microphone.

'Sorry professor. Well as I was saying, Gryffindors are the best. And the Slytherins really suck!' there was a sudden squabble as Lee was heard saying 'sorry professor' and McGonagall's voice saying warningly, 'careful Jordon, or else I will take over' before Jordon's voice came over a bit subdued.

The rain began to fall in huge drops and Harry, quickly cast a water repelling charm upon his eyes and indicated the same to Malfoy, wondering at the friendliness between them.

They were now about an hour into the game and Harry suddenly spotted something glittering by Slytherin stands, just a few feet above the ground. He took off at once and Draco followed furiously. They weaved in and out of the other players who were each obstructing the other side's seeker and Harry dodged the bludgers once as they came whizzing towards him and as he neared the Slytherin goal post he swooped with Draco almost level with him. There were screams in the Slytherin and Gryffindor stands each House encouraging their seeker.

At that time Flint, signalled to his beaters and two bludgers came for Harry. Fred and George took off after the bludgers, but they were a moment behind the bludgers that were really speeding.

Meanwhile Harry and Draco were neck to neck, and Harry kept one hand on the broom and stretched his other hand towards the snitch. The snitch was just a few feet in front of him, and in a minute Harry would have caught it, when WHAM! The bludger slammed into him and pushed him forward. Harry's outstretched hand got hold of something as another bludger slammed into his hand and with a shout of pain; Harry toppled from the broom and crashed to the ground.

Draco had just pulled himself up the last few feet and he too landed rather ungainly on to the ground. He scrambled towards Harry and looked anxiously at him. Harry was groaning with his hand in a very strange position, suggesting he had broken it.

Draco slowly removed the snitch from Harry's hand that he had apparently grabbed when he had fallen forward, making Harry stifle a painful scream, before the players and Madam Hooch descended upon them, along with Snape, Lucius and Lockhart. Harry groaned louder when he saw Lockhart, unable to believe even in his pain, that events were once again happening as before.

Last time Harry had fainted, this time he did not faint but still he had Lockhart looming over him, about to remove the bones from his arm. Snape was very unhelpful, watching, smirking mildly, his black eyes showing amusement at Harry's groan. He had been concerned at first, until he saw Harry was pretty okay, then he had stepped back to stand with Lucius who was looking curiously at Harry, to watch the fun. Harry cursed Snape a bit.

'Who caught the snitch?' Oliver was more concerned with that and he had paled like Harry, in equal pain, when he saw the snitch in Draco's hands. At that question, everyone looked at Harry and Draco and the Slytherins screamed with pleasure.

'We won, hey we won!' they chanted and Harry was screaming as well, that they did not, the Gryffindors had, only no one heard him. Madam Hooch after a few seconds blew on her whistle loudly and stopped the noise and turned to Draco.

'Did you catch the snitch?' she asked him.

Draco was incredibly tempted to say yes. He knew that any other Slytherin would have said yes and walked away. But he realized in that minute how important Harry's friendship and respect was, to him. 'No. Potter did.' He answered Hooch even as the other Slytherins glared disbelievingly at him.

'Of course I did.' Harry told them, before they could say anything to Draco. 'I told him to remove it from my hand because my hand was paining like anything and can I go to the infirmary please?' he asked Hooch. Draco looked mighty relieved at Harry's words and the other Slytherins subsided. If Harry was aware and actually told Draco to remove the snitch, then Draco had done the right thing. He would have got a lot into trouble otherwise.

'Why bother?' Lockhart asked loudly and even as Harry shouted that he would rather be treated by a blast ended skewt. 'Ten points from Gryffindor for being rude to a professor Potter.' Came Snape's silky voice and Harry turned to him, amazed at that. Snape was smiling genuinely and was looking very amused as he nodded at Harry. Harry groaned as he heard Lockhart clear his throat and mutter something.

Flash! Harry had forgotten Colin who had somehow pushed his way through and taken a snap of Harry being healed. Harry groaned once more and then cursed loudly, as his hand bent the opposite way, when Lockhart tested it. 'What did you do?'

'Er, yes, well, that can happen sometimes. Better go to the infirmary. I think that would be the best.' Lockhart said, even as he was backing away.

'You moron, idiot, $' Harry shouted as he thought of drinking the skele-grow and spending one night in the infirmary.

'Ten points from Gryffindor, Potter for being rude to a professor, again.' Almost sang Snape as everyone looked at him incredulously. Harry was livid as Colin snapped another photo as Hooch; this time was bending his arm the other way. 'Colin.' Harry ordered, biting his lip to stop really taking out his ire on the photography mad boy, 'stop that. Sir,' he continued turning to glare at Snape, 'that's not fair. Lockhart removed the bones in my hand. I think I was justified to curse.'

Everyone gasped at Harry's audacity to talk back to Snape. 'Get up Potter and that should be another ten points.' Snape said smoothly his eyes, still very amused and Harry stood up shakily. 'I will take him to the infirmary Madam Hooch. Come on Potter. I cannot keep waiting for you.'

Harry his face mutinous, walked behind Snape and Hermione came up to Harry and caught hold of him as he stumbled. 'Let him be Miss. Granger. I will take him with me now.' And Snape came to Harry and holding on to his now rubber like and senseless hand, dragged him away.

Harry waited until they were inside the School and waving his other arm and creating a privacy ward around them huffed irritable to Snape, who just smirked back. 'Unfair of you Snape. I was really hurt by your Slytherin goons and all you do is, take away points.'

'You were rude to a professor Potter.' Snape answered easily.

'That's a professor. Along with the likes of you and Dumbledore? Merlin, Snape you are magnanimous.' Harry attempted sarcasm.

'I could take some more points off you. I can do this and even out the points that you got through this game, and your precious Gryffindor will soon be evened out with us.' Harry was silent at this and after a few minutes, Snape looked sideways at him. 'What no comebacks from the great James Potter's son?"

Harry sighed. 'No. the great James Potter's son is struck dumb.' And kept quiet; his body was aching now and he felt the effects of falling the few feet on to the ground and the other bludger hitting him, and he just could not think of any comebacks to Snape who was now attacking his father along with him.

Suddenly Harry felt himself lifted off the ground and yelped. 'Keep still Potter. We are almost there.' Snape told him and lengthened his steps, levitating an open mouthed Harry who was shocked at the sensitivity Snape exhibited. But Snape was an extremely sensitive man. Harry knew that. Only he never displayed that sensitivity openly. He was also very prickly and would lash out if he was provoked.

They were soon at the infirmary and Snape called out to Pomfrey and placed Harry on a bed. Pomfrey had her wand out and was already diagnosing him, muttering all the time. She finished and turned to glare at Snape who simply stared back at her.

'Which idiot removed all the bones from Potter's hand?' she demanded, accusingly, as if it was Snape.

'The idiot who teaches the Defence against the Dark Arts here.' Snape answered blandly, and looking at Harry for a second, turned around on his feet and billowed away.

Madam Pomfrey bustled around and came back with a pepper up and a huge beaker of skele - grow. Harry looked at it in dismay and silently took it from her and drank it. He just managed to stop himself from retching and lay down, tired and completely down. Before he knew it, Harry had slept.

Harry slept all though the day and woke up at dinner time, his hand full of pins and needles as the bones were beginning to re-grow. Luckily, it was not his wand hand and Harry found his movements, not very awkward.

He had dinner and lay down, wishing for the night to be over. He had refused a sleeping potion, saying that he was sleepy enough, not to need it. He took a pain reliever potion, though. No one had visited him, when he was awake, though Harry learned from Pomfrey, Hermione, Neville, Draco, Pansy and Blaise had been to see him as well as the entire Gryffindor team while he had been asleep.

Snape came at about eleven and found Harry awake. 'Not asleep Potter?' he asked.

Harry grinned at him. 'I actually dozed off after dinner Snape. I just woke up a few minutes ago. My hand's killing me.' He winced as a spiky prickling feeling came over him. 'Shall I give you a sleeping dose?' he asked Harry who shook his head. 'I have been sleeping all through the day and I will feel dull if I take a potion tonight as well.' Harry looked at Snape was looking back at him, his face unreadable and Harry smiled, his own green eyes soft, green eyes that Snape had looked into before he died, the last time. 'Thanks for coming to check up on me Snape.' He said softly. Snape sneered mildly and without saying another word, turned and left.

Harry sat there in the darkness feeling nice and drowsy once more. The pain had become a little better and his hand was no longer poking him painfully. He was feeling very much awake and he decided to look at his books that Hermione had brought faithfully for him to look at. He opened his bag and took out his books and the map too fell out along with them, casting a _lumos_ on his bed alone.

Harry opened it and as a matter of routine checked for Ginny and found her in the Chamber. Harry went still, before he sat down with the map. Ginny spent only a few minutes in the Chamber before she came up and started walking, towards the infirmary. It took Harry a few seconds to understand that Ginny was coming here and then he went into action, first using the Patronus to send a short message to Snape.

'_Ginny is on her way here. Please come at once to infirmary, and stay invisible_.' Having sent that off to Snape, Harry waited. He had sent a message to Snape, just in case he was overpowered. This would be fighting Ginny who would be possessed and if something like last year happened, Harry wanted to be prepared.

Harry held his wand in his right hand and experimentally tried some wandless magic with his left. To his dismay the _lumos_ spell he had tried was very weak. Harry transferred his wand onto his left hand and tried some wandless magic with his right. They worked well. So he would not be at a complete disadvantage if he lost his wand.

At that time a doe came swiftly towards him. Snape's answer. _'On my way. Don't do anything stupid._' And she vanished. Harry kept his wand in his left hand and was alert, as his eyes kept watch on the map. She was at the corner and she would come into the infirmary anytime. Suddenly Harry had an idea. He accioed a pillow from another bed and transfigured it into rough version of himself and placed it on the bed and covered it completely, showing only the black messy hair. Then Harry masked his scent and making himself invisible, ran to a corner of the room and disillusioning the map, Harry waited. Only for a second, because Ginny was already at the door and Snape was running towards the infirmary and he would take a few more minutes to come.

Harry watched as Ginny crept in silently, her red hair, all unkempt and she looked around the room and then walked silently to the bed and removed her wand. 'Avada Kedavra' she said in a cold high voice, unlike hers and then, she smirked and even laughed a little, 'Harry Potter', the cold high voice whispered as Harry stood there turned to stone and completely numb, 'Harry Potter, so _you_ vanquished _me_. As if you could. Die Harry Potter.'

Then she stopped speaking and fell silent, and with another contemptuous look at the bed, walked away swiftly, almost running from the room. Harry stood there shaken to the core. Had he taken a sleeping potion or had he been asleep, he would have died in his sleep. He shivered uncontrollably as he simply stood there unable to process what he had just seen.

Ginny/Voldemort had just killed him, Harry in cold blood and had walked away. Harry peered into the map after he removed the disillusion charm off it and saw Ginny running towards Gryffindor Tower and Snape entering the infirmary. Somehow their ways had crossed without their knowledge and Harry watched as Snape came running in, through the map. He could not see Snape in the infirmary, where he was bending down and shaking Harry, because he too, was invisible.

That was when Harry came to his senses and he cleared his throat and called out to Snape, looking at Ginny, who had reached the Tower by now and was going inside. 'Snape, I'm here.'

Snape who was by then shaking what looked like a corpse, turned around, making him visible, even as Harry became visible himself and simply stood there slightly shaking. Even though he knew it was Voldemort and not Ginny who had come there, still to see the figure of a girl, whom he had loved and married, kill him so callously somehow made him feel paralysed with shock.

Snape, Harry saw was ashen and sweating profusely. His black eyes were full of horror and terror, before relief flooded into them after seeing Harry. Harry had never seen those eyes so expressive the last time and he watched as Snape came striding, almost running towards him, his eyes taking in Harry's pale face and slightly shaking demeanour and caught hold of his arm and took him to his bed. Harry cancelled the Transfiguration on the pillow, before banishing it to its rightful bed and turned to Snape.

Snape sat him down and took a vial from his robes. 'Open your mouth, Potter.' He said softly, before pouring the vial of pepper up potion into Harry's mouth. Harry felt better after a few minutes and he looked at Snape.

'Did you see Gi… Ginny?' he stammered, his eyes still a bit chaotic and stormy. Snape nodded his head. 'But I was invisible and allowed her to get away.'

'You did the right thing, Snape. What possessing her is Voldemort alright, but that is the earliest horcrux and it will not know you as his death eater and would have killed you on the spot. Like it killed me.' Harry finished bitterly.

'What?' Snape asked startled and then slowly Harry told him everything. 'I will have to take the diary somehow from her and destroy it, Snape, before, she starts killing others in their sleep.'

Snape was horrified when he heard what had happened. 'Perhaps we should go with this to the Headmaster, Potter?' he asked, tilting his head, a bit and looking right into Harry's green eyes.

Harry shook his head at once. 'No Dumbledore. Sorry.' Snape was burning with curiosity to know why, but this was not the time to ask questions and he looked at Harry. 'Sleep now. I will stay here, until morning. How's your hand?'

'Uh...Okay, I guess.' Harry said, and Snape sneered at his words. Harry smiled a bit. He had forgotten about the prickliness of his hand in the sadness and fear of what he had been seeing.

Harry lay down and watched Snape remove another potion. The sleeping potion and he shook his head, but Snape would not agree and Harry took it, grateful that someone would be there watching out for him and was asleep in a few minutes.

He woke up the next morning, fresh and Pomfrey checked him and allowed him to leave. Harry did not know when Snape had left and if he had any sleep at all last night and he sighed as he took his bag and walked towards the Gryffindor common room.

Just before he entered, he cast a notice-me-not harm upon himself, and checked the map. Ginny, Hermione, Neville and the others were at breakfast and Harry did not waste another minute. He went into the common room and ran up to his dorm. He quickly cast invisibility charms on himself and changed into a Phoenix and flashed to Ginny dorm and finding it empty, went to her bed and placed his wand on his palm and said, 'point me Ginny's Diary.'

The wand pointed him at the door. Harry could have cried. Ginny had it with her and, his visit was wasted. He removed all traces of himself and changing once more, flashed to his room and slumped on the bed. So she came out and walked among others possessed and was moving among the students as Ginny/Voldemort. Harry was completely shocked. That was very dangerous and Harry decided to somehow grab the Dairy at the earliest, before Ginny could do real harm, something from which, she would not be able to recover, even after the Diary was destroyed.

A few minutes later, Harry armed with his bag, set off to the Great Hall and he entered cautiously, looking straight at Ginny. Ginny was eating her food and looked up as Hermione called out loudly to Harry, her fork dropping from her hand and clattering on to her plate. Harry kept looking at her, his green eyes not readable, but very confident and knowing as he replied to Hermione's questions about his hand.

Harry finally looked away as he sat by Hermione and ate his breakfast. Ginny, who was sitting on the opposite side, though a little to Harry's right, was glaring at Harry, her brown eyes, showing disbelief and shock. Harry noticed all that and also the way she shook off Percy's hand and slowly looked at the Head Table. Dumbledore was looking at him and smiled back, when Harry smiled at him, a bit guardedly though, and Harry frowned inside. Now what did Dumbledore suspect?

Harry finished quickly and stood up with his friends for the first class of the day. Potions. Ginny also stood up and Harry knew she was going to attack him and this time kill him. They walked out of the Great Hall and Ginny was right after them. They were by the main doors when, suddenly Harry turned back and smiled at Ginny.

'Accio Diary.' He called loudly and fired a stunner at her even as she lifted her wand. The diary came whizzing towards him and enraged, Ginny was about to fire a spell when Harry cried out, pocketing the book, 'look, Ginny everyone's here to watch' and hoped that she would take the hint and not cast the killing curse.

But Ginny did not seem to care and she screamed at him, 'I'll kill you Potter, if it's the last thing I do. Just watch this.' And raised her wand and fired the killing curse. Harry accioed the armour and watched it shatter and shouted to Hermione, 'conjure more or _Accio_ more stuff, Hermione.' And fired another stunner and ran away outside.

'_Stupefy_!' Harry cried out with his wand that missed her narrowly and suddenly Ginny sank down like a rock and Harry turned to see Dumbledore walking towards him with his wand aloft. He had fired the stunner. All the Weasleys came running to their sister, and Dumbledore was bending over her checking her and in the confusion, Harry went up to Snape who had run along with Dumbledore, his wand aloft as well and handed over the Diary surreptitiously to him. Snape stepped back, the Diary already in his robes, and Harry cast notice-me-not charms on himself and Snape and also conjured a piece of paper and quill and wrote out the instructions for destroying this piece of horcrux and pushed it into Snape's hand.

Snape took it and read it and then was gone. Harry conjured another Diary that looked just like the one he gave Snape and cancelled the charms and went and sat down by the steps, waiting for Snape to destroy the horcrux, with the basilisk fang.

Ginny, in the meantime woke up and she looked at Dumbledore and the others and blushed. Her brothers were asking her all sorts of things; all of them together and in very loud voices and Dumbledore was looking around for someone. His eyes found Harry, sitting by the steps and Hermione and Neville and Draco running towards him and he simply looked penetratingly as Harry smiled tiredly at them, showing his hand that he had hurt the day before.

Suddenly, Ginny screamed, and screamed and screamed as something came out of her and vanished altogether. Harry stood up and ran to the edge of the crowd and watched with satisfaction as Voldemort came out of her and vanished. Dumbledore was stunned and shocked as he recognized the 16 year old Tom Riddle.

Ginny had fainted and Dumbledore collecting himself together and asked Percy to take Ginny to the infirmary and walked towards Harry, just as Snape was running out with a few vials in hi hand.

_**End of Chapter – 19**_

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	20. Chapter 20

_**Thank you, all of you who have read this story and to everyone who took that extra minute to review the chapter. Thank you, Harriverse, t-man, Typus Blade, skeptic **_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 20**_

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That morning Dumbledore had been enjoying a peaceful breakfast, having no knowledge of the events of the night. Snape sat to his right and was looking very tired and highly disgruntled, making Dumbledore feel deeply for all those who had potions today. That thought brought a smile which he masked before it could split his face and ate serenely. McGonagall was also quiet, as her eyes roved over the students.

Dumbledore also let his eyes wander all over the Great Hall, as he bit into his toast. Most of the students were there and he smiled, feeling very happy to see all these young minds. He only hoped Voldemort would stay where ever he was and let all of them live in peace. He shook his head slightly at that silly thought. As if he would. Dumbledore had now for sometime been suspecting that he had created horcruxes and his suspicions only increased after he heard how the Voldemort sprit attacked Harry.

Harry Potter! From there Dumbledore's thoughts went to the boy who was clearly something more. Only he could not put his hands on where and what the mystery was. He was so confident and self assured that was nothing short of amazing for a boy who apparently spent his life in a cupboard under the stairs. Dumbledore cringed inside, even now as he remembered the Hogwarts latter. He had been horrified, and had been prepared for a neglected and undernourished Harry Potter, but what he got was someone who was more confident and more intelligent and surely a better version of James Potter.

At that time Dumbledore noticed Ginny Weasley enter the Great Hall looking very happy and extremely self – satisfied with herself. Dumbledore did not know her personally and he smiled at her happy face as she went quietly to sit with the other first years and begin her breakfast.

A little later Dumbledore was still musing about Harry, when he saw the object of his thoughts enter the Great Hall. Dumbledore became alert as he scrutinized Harry and saw him look at Ginny. Dumbledore straightened and looked deeply at Harry, wondering if he should attempt Legilimency, but decided against it. Hermione Granger was calling loudly to Harry and Dumbledore saw the way Ginny Weasley's head jerked up at that, her spoon falling from her nerveless hands. She turned away from Harry for a second and Dumbledore saw the happiness he had seen in her face that morning, had completely vanished and in place was an incredulous disbelief that changed into anger in a second, before she turned away and looked down.

Dumbledore turned his attention to Harry, who had gone to his friends by then and was still looking at Ginny and beginning to eat his breakfast very fast. They finished and Harry, Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom got up to leave and Dumbledore saw Ginny get up too. He suddenly felt something very wrong in that and trusting his instincts which had never betrayed him until then, Dumbledore stood up apparently finished with his breakfast and smiling at his staff, he got down apparently leisurely, but walking swiftly towards the doors.

He was halfway down the tables when he broke into a run; he had heard Harry's voice cry out to Ginny telling her everyone was watching. Dumbledore though missed Harry calling out to the Dairy as it had not been very loud.

Dumbledore ran faster when he heard Ginny screaming that she would kill Harry and seeing their Headmaster run, the other professors got up from their seats at the Head Table and ran towards Dumbledore. Snape was the first to go and he simply ran as fast as he could, his robes billowing behind him, to the doors.

Dumbledore in the meantime had reached the door and saw Harry's stunner and fired a stunner of his own on Ginny and watched her fall down. He ran to her to check her and he slowly and cautiously enervated her. He straightened and looked around for Harry and saw him sit down by the steps, looking tired and showing his hand to his friends who had run to him.

His attention was suddenly diverted as Ginny started screaming and to Dumbledore's horror, he saw the ghostly form of Voldemort as a young boy known as Tom Riddle, rising up from Ginny's body and vanishing. Ginny collapsed and fainted and Dumbledore coming to his senses asked Percy to levitate Ginny to the infirmary and turned to talk to Harry, when he saw Snape running out with a few vials in his hand.

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Snape had taken the Diary with trembling hands and placed it into his robes at once and a minute later something came once more into his hands. It was a piece of paper with hasty instructions on how to destroy the Diary. Snape wasted no time and he ran to his dungeons and to his chambers and destroyed the Diary by removing the basilisk fang with the venom in it and piercing the diary, until there was no ink to come out and the diary was all mangled. Then, Snape, sealed everything, cleaned himself of all the ink, and placed the Diary inside the warded place, along with the basilisk and ran out, _accioing_ a few vials for Ginny and ran all the way to the main doors and then slowed his run to a swift walk. The whole exercise had taken but a few minutes.

Dumbledore was already coming towards Harry, his face very grim and tight and Snape hurried towards him. 'Dumbledore, the girl, how is she? I have got a few potions.'

'She will be fine, I hope Severus. I have asked her brothers to take her to the infirmary. But thank you, all the same, Severus.' Dumbledore told him, with a small smile and he walked towards Harry. Snape wanted to very badly know if the possession was over and horcrux destroyed. It must have been, he concluded, but it would be nice to get proof. Only he dared not ask Harry Potter even with his eyes, right now. Dumbledore was in quite a state, if his demeanour was anything to go by. He schooled his face into his usual inscrutable mask and walked along silently with Dumbledore.

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Harry in the meantime, had conjured a diary just like the one he gave to Snape. He knew Hermione and Neville had seen it and he wanted to show it to them, if they asked. The diary also had Tom.M.Riddle on its covers but the pages were blank and there was no dark activity coming out of it. He went tiredly and sat down by the steps, once he handed over the horcrux and the method of destroying it to Snape.

Hermione and Neville came running towards him and Harry spoke to them, showing his hand and telling them, that it still hurt a bit. Hermione was itching to question him, and it was only Harry's look of extreme tiredness that held her off. She was sitting next to him, biting her lips and thinking of a way to question him, without irritating him. She lost the battle with herself and tuned to Harry.

'Harry, why did you _Accio_ that diary?' Hermione asked him hesitantly when they noticed Dumbledore and Snape coming towards them. Harry, Hermione and Neville stood up, feeling a bit scared, that Dumbledore was looking very grim.

'The Diary? I too would like to know the answer to that question Harry.' Dumbledore said unsmiling. 'May I see the diary?' he held out his hand.

Harry did not utter a word but put his hands into his robes and pulled out the diary that looked just like the horcrux and handed it over to Dumbledore. Dumbledore peered closely at the name and opened it and flipped through the pages and frowned when he found them blank.

He placed the Diary in his left hand and waved his wand over the diary a few times. There was nothing he could find there and he turned to Harry once more and looked at him, deeply, 'Will you please come to my office, Harry? I would like to talk to you for a few minutes.' Harry nodded and walked behind Dumbledore, along with Snape. They reached the office in quick time and after they went in, and Dumbledore went around the large table set in the centre of the room and seated in his chair. He asked Snape and Harry to sit down and his frown decreased a bit when Fawkes flew from his perch and sat on Harry.

He smiled a little as Fawkes trilled, 'What happened with Ginny Harry? You seemed to suspect something was wrong with her?' he asked, sending his Legilimency across as he waited for Harry to answer.

Harry took a deep breath and allowing Dumbledore to stay in his head he looked directly at Snape for a second, before turning to Dumbledore. 'Sir, I don't want to say anything bad about Ginny.' He started hesitantly. Dumbledore was silent and did not answer and Harry gulped obviously and swallowed before he went on.

'I saw her a few times with this diary and her face would be very harsh and she would be talking to herself and smirking to herself. I heard her use the word 'kill' a few times and I almost asked her about it once or twice, but I really don't know her as I do Ron or Fred and George, Sir, and so I kept quiet. Last night I saw her in the infirmary; I just woke up and I could see a blurry figure and recognized her as she spoke to herself. She was just walking around my bed a few times, muttering something and then she left; she had something in her hands; I assumed it was this diary, because whenever she would talk and mutter to herself, the diary was usually in her hands.

'Today, I came into the Great Hall and kept looking at her and I was intending to ask her about the Diary and also why she would come into the infirmary and keep roaming around my bed, when she kept glaring at me and followed me outside. That was when I got the idea and I _accioed_ the diary and she screamed in anger that she would kill me and cast the killing curse. There was nothing to hide there Sir, and I simply _accioed_ the armour standing there and thankfully the killing curse did not hit me. I screamed to Hermione to _Accio_ the armour again, in case she would try the killing curse again and I ran out, casting the stunner at her. She suddenly fell and you came there with the wand high in your hand. You cast the stunner, didn't you?'

Dumbledore nodded his head briefly, withdrawing from Harry's mind. Harry's report had been accurate and Dumbledore bent once more over the diary as Harry played with Fawkes and Snape sneered at both Harry and Fawkes. The diary was very ordinary and except the name Tom. M. Riddle written on it, there was nothing else. No dark magic and no dark spells.

'May I keep this with me Harry? I would also like to talk to Miss Weasley about this.' Dumbledore stopped for a second and then breathed heavily. 'Do you wish to press charges against her Harry? If you do, she would have to spend the rest of her life in Azkaban and also be kissed, I think.'

'That should be the procedure, I believe.' Snape inserted smoothly, his black eyes glittering with joy. Harry turned to glare at him and then turned to Dumbledore. 'Sir, I would like to know why Ginny Weasley tried to kill me. Why she came to the infirmary yesterday and did she do anything then?'

'And Harry, would you want to press charges against her? Like Severus says, you will be quite within your rights to do so.' Dumbledore asked him.

Harry shook his head. 'I don't think so, Sir. I think there is something very wrong with Ginny Weasley. She did not look like herself, you know, the last few weeks at least, since I've started noticing her talking to herself. She almost looked possessed and if there is something wrong with her health or something, then I definitely don't want to press any charge against her Sir.' He said firmly.

Dumbledore started at that. Harry had by chance hit the nail rig ht on the head. 'Indeed Harry, I do believe she was not quite herself.'

'Was she possessed then by a ghost or something Sir?' Harry asked him, his eyes wide and astonished. Fawkes pecked him and when Harry looked at him, the clever bird actually winked at Harry. Harry was truly stunned and he blinked at Fawkes who trilled once and flew off Harry's lap and onto his perch.

Harry coming out of his shock smiled at Fawkes and stood up when Dumbledore told him, 'Once Miss Weasley is fine, Harry, I will question her and let you know. If aurors come here, because many students heard her use an unforgivable, I hope you will back me up in that case?'

Harry nodded. 'Yes Sir. If she was not herself, and I don't think she was, because Ron and the twins are not like that; they are so carefree, she too must be like them Sir. I think so anyway.' Dumbledore smiled widely for the first time that morning and Snape too got up, looking very disgruntled that Ginny was not going to Azkaban and looked sourly at Harry.

'I will be cancelling classes for today Harry and so you may relax with your friends, who must be anxious about you. Run along now.' He said and Snape immediately pounced on Harry. 'Potter, you will come with me and attend to the potion. That needs help. Come on.' And nodding briefly to Dumbledore, Snape turned billowed away.

Harry smiled at Dumbledore and walked hastily behind Snape, leaving the diary with Dumbledore, who was looking better than when he walked to his office.

Harry and Snape walked in silence until they reached the potions lab and walked inside. Harry threw his bag onto a chair and watched as Snape warded the room and went inside and came out with the destroyed diary. Harry looked at it tiredly and smiled a bit before getting up and taking the diary in his hands and sent his magic into it. There was no response and Harry handed it back to Snape who went to keep it with the basilisk.

'Are you okay?' Harry started as Snape's voice came abruptly. Harry was deep in thoughts and his memories of a life that was surely destroyed.

'You know Snape, you and I; we have a lot of things in common with each other.' Harry told him softly.

Snape sneered. 'Common with you? A Potter?"

"Why, I am Lily's too, you know?' Harry told him carelessly; watching Snape, as he predictably froze and turned into stone.

'You lost mum because of your choices, Snape and she was too young to see the real you, romantically.' Harry told a flushing Snape who had not moved and whose eyes were suddenly blazing with anger and bitterness.

'I do not wish to talk to _you_ about it, and it would do you well to stop right now.' He hissed, his voice very soft, telling Harry how angry he was.

'I too, have most likely lost the girl I loved and married Snape, because I have chosen to act differently now.' Harry told him, his eyes, very, very sad.

Snape, who was on the verge of blasting Harry, was stunned into silence as he processed what Harry was telling him.

'I married Ginny Weasley and I had three lovely kids; two boys and a girl.' Harry's voice broke and then there was only silence. Harry had put his head into his hands, sitting there and Snape was simply looking at him, his eyes inscrutable for a long time, before, he stood up and went into his Chambers and came holding a steaming cup of tea. 'Drink Potter. And you are truly big headed. You are only in your second year and this incident with the basilisk has already happened before and you got together with her then. Why should you think that you cannot do it now?'

Harry did not answer. He had already told a bit too much to Snape and he did not want to blabber more. He accepted the cup rather shakily from Snape's hands and slowly sipped it and Snape after waiting for an answer that was not coming, stood up and attended to the potions that would be ready in a month or two.

'Christmas is already upon us Snape. Once it's over, then we have the potions to tackle and then its third year. Third year this time will be very peaceful. No dementors and no Sirius Back escaping from Azkaban and no Peter Pettigrew running away to help good old Voldy Moldy back to his body. Third year will be good. The next problem will be in fourth year.' Harry told him, with a small smile, his eyes still having a haunted look about them.

'Aren't you just tempting the fates Potter?' Snape asked him dryly.

Harry grinned, looking a bit more like himself now. 'No, Snape. Last time, third year was when Sirius broke out of Azkaban and because he was thought the traitor, the Ministry had dementors all around the School and there was a mess at the end of it all. This year, Sirius has already happened and no dementors and nothing for third year.'

Snape sneered and snorted mildly at Harry's enthusiasm. 'That is tempting the fates with a vengeance Potter. I would advice you not to try.' He added dryly.

Harry simply grinned at him. 'When will the potions get over Snape?'

'Will you be staying here for the holidays?' Snape asked him a few minutes later.

Harry nodded his head. 'Yes, I'll be. Hermione, Colin and others are staying back and I think I will too. I've already written to Sirius and Remus, asking them permission to stay on here and I think, they'll agree. I've told them about the potions nearing completion and so I don't think they'll create a fuss.'

Snape snorted again, this time loudly, showing his disdain for Sirius and Remus and their permission of all things. 'Now that the Diary is gone, I think, the rest of this year will be better than it was the last time.' Snape did not answer to this and soon, they had an almost companionable silence as they worked together.

Harry left the potions classroom for lunch, where he was assaulted by an anxious Hermione, Neville and even the Slytherins. Draco hung slightly behind and looked at Harry with worry and fear. Harry laughed at all of them and answered their questions as well as he could and tried to tell Draco though many hints that he was perfectly fine and that Ginny looked alright too. That started off another discussion about Ginny and Harry promised to tell them everything as soon as he knew.

The next morning Harry received Sirius and Remus's letter and laughed. They were very upset, but at the very end of what was a very long letter, they said they understood that Harry wanted to be with his friends for Christmas and work on the potions that would be ready by the first week of March. This was the last stage and they said they understood.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came to the School that day to see their daughter. They had received an owl in the morning and they had flooed to Hogsmeade and had rushed from there. Ginny was perfectly fine, Madam Pomfrey declared that afternoon and Harry went once again to the Headmaster's office in the afternoon to hear from Ginny.

McGonagall, Snape, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, all their children and Lucius Malfoy of all people along with Dobby were there. Dobby was looking very pathetic and he was standing with his head bowed low down in fear. He looked up as the door opened and Harry walked in, and his eyes widened comically before Lucius noticed him and kicked him. Dobby whimpered and looked down once again.

Harry glared at Lucius Malfoy and put his hand inside his robes conjuring a hanky, kept it in readiness.

'Come in Harry and sit down. You know the Weasleys and this is Lucius Malfoy one of the Governors on the Hogwarts School Board. Lucius, this is Harry.' Dumbledore said pleasantly.

McGonagall was sitting next to Snape and Harry sat on Snape's other side. Snape had kept watching him from the moment he had entered the room, but was still to say anything. The whole atmosphere was very tense and Ginny was already sobbing.

'Hi Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley.' Harry greeted them softly as soon as he sat down. Mrs. Weasley looked on the verge of tears and Mr. Weasley was looking very worried as well.

'Harry, dear, I really don't know what to say.' Mrs. Weasley started and Harry's heart went out to this lady who had done so much for him. He smiled, 'I don't think you need to say anything Mrs. Weasley. Professor Dumbledore was telling me yesterday that something possessed Ginny. In fact most of us saw something, a youngish boy coming out of her and vanishing. Nothing's her fault.'

Dumbledore beamed. Mrs. Weasley smiled through her tears and thanked him tremulously. She had been so scared when the owl had come and after she came to School and learnt what had happened, she had been terrified, both for her daughter and about what would happen to her, for her actions, even though she was not really in control of them. To her immense relief and eternal gratitude, Harry was just brushing it all away.

'I think professor Dumbledore has the diary, Mrs. Weasley. You can see that. I think that diary is somehow connected to that ghost that came out of Ginny. I saw her with it a few times and she would always be talking and smirking to herself.' He explained.

'I really don't see the point in all this Dumbledore. It is obvious that the girl has brought in a magical object that could harm the other students here and I think this is a clear case of misuse of magical artefacts and even if the criminal is very young, I think she must be taken through the proper channels and punished.' He drawled, his eyes roving over the Weasleys and settling upon Harry.

'Well, sir, I refuse to press charges, when it was not her fault, but the fault of the person who was inside her.' Harry told him firmly and blushed when everyone turned to look at him in surprise. Dumbledore was completely taken aback at the confidence and the assured way in which Harry was speaking and he slowly entered his mind.

Again Dumbledore was shocked. There was nothing there, except recognition of the house – elf which he too had recognized from seeing it in Harry's mind before and the memories of that morning and later helping Snape with the potions. There was nothing else. He pushed it from his mind for now and concentrated on the job at hand.

Mrs. Weasley was now crying in earnest and the Weasleys were all glaring at Lucius Malfoy who was scowling at Harry. Harry turned to professor Dumbledore. 'Sir, do you have the Diary with you?' he asked Dumbledore and surprised once again, but very curious, Dumbledore handed over the Diary to him, watching him all the time. Harry turned his back to Lucius Malfoy and Albus Dumbledore and removed the hanky as if to wipe his face and slipped it inside the book and cast a notice-me-not charm and a very mild sticking charm wandlessly on it all the while pretending to look through the book.

'Mrs. Weasley, this was the diary Ginny had with her, the few times I saw her look kind of possessed. See.' He said and handed the Diary to her. She took it with trembling hands and looked at it and as if unable to look through it at all, she handed it back to Harry. Ginny saw the book and started weeping loudly, throwing herself on to her mother, who was trying to comfort Ginny through her own tears.

'Where did you get this thing Ginny? Did you have it before School or did someone give it to you after School started?' Harry asked her and after a long moment of intense sobbing, she looked at Harry, her eyes all puffed up and face swollen and with so much fear in her eyes, 'I'm sorry Harry. The book wanted to know everything about you. He said he wanted to be friends with me and I told him all about how you defeated You-Know-Who and how you survived the killing curse.

'The book then slowly tried to poison my mind towards you and when ever it would take hold of me, I could not do anything; I simply watched as if it was happening to some one else and he would keep grinning and keep talking about killing you. What you said is very correct. But Harry, it was not I, it was him.' and she started sobbing as her parents looked on helplessly.

'Seems a likely story.' Lucius sneered. 'Let me see that book, Mr. Potter.' He asked Harry holding his hand out for the book. Harry looked at Dobby. 'Hello, can you please take this to Mr. Malfoy?' he asked, not getting up from his chair.

Dobby looked at him, his eyes wide with disbelief that some one had requested him, rather than ordered him, and then sheer terror at touching that book. He came to Harry and slowly held out a hand and then blinked in relief when he could not feel the darkest magic of them all and hurried to Lucius Malfoy and handed the book to him. Lucius glared at him, and snatched the book from him and opened it. To his shock, one he managed to conceal very well, the Diary looked very ordinary and he could sense no magic at all, let alone dark magic coming from it.

He stayed silent for a few minutes and looked up when Harry was asking Ginny something else. 'Where did you find this Ginny?'

Her father answered for her. 'She says she found it in her Transfiguration text book when we got it from flourish and Blotts.'

Harry looked at Ginny and for the first time in this time line, used Legilimency to plant a thought into another mind, after he made sure Dumbledore was not in his mind. He looked a bit puzzled like everyone else and Arthur and Molly were talking to Dumbledore about enquiring those at Flourish and Blotts about this.

Suddenly Ginny exclaimed, 'Mum, it was Mr. Malfoy. He took my Transfiguration book that day, looked through it and threw it into my cauldron. Remember Daddy? It was him, I'm sure, who put the book into my Transfiguration text.' She cried out, looking at him angrily and with just a touch of fear.

Lucius Malfoy stiffened and went pale for a second, before he steadied himself and glared at Ginny. 'I hope you have proof Miss. Weasley. You are making rather serious accusations.' He told her bitingly.

Dumbledore saw Lucius's expressions and his own face went blank. 'Lucius, she is frightened and she does not remember from where she received the diary. She may be mistaken.'

'May be mistaken!' Lucius Malfoy was furious. 'She is playing around with dark artefacts and then conveniently accuses me. Have the Weasleys stooped so low?' he thundered as he threw the book on the floor by his feet.

'There was the ghostly form of a young Lord Voldemort that came out of her body as she screamed and fainted.' Dumbledore told him abruptly.

Lucius stopped breathing and he stood there in shock, his face ashen. He stood there for a long minute his eyes wide with shock and with sweat that was already beginning to break out on his face as he processed Dumbledore's words.

'What?' he whispered.

'You heard me, Lucius. I think you should leave now. And I hope that you will not play with my students in future.' Dumbledore said chillingly and he stood up, radiating an aura of power as he looked at Lucius Malfoy with penetrating eyes that had no twinkle in them now, but anger.

Lucius turned on his feet. His feet hit the Diary and he looked at it with deep fear that he could not quite conceal. Without realizing what he was doing he bent down and picked it up and then stiffened again as he realized what he had done. Instead of walking to the table and placing the diary on it, he turned to Dobby and barked at him, throwing the book at him, 'Give it to Dumbledore and come with me.'

Exactly then, Harry wandlessly removed the charms and made the hanky visible. Dobby saw the cloth and stood there mesmerised by the hanky. 'Dobby!' came a strangled shout from Lucius who turned back to kick his elf and his eyes widened.

'Master has freed me.' Dobby said his eyes leaking with tears.

'What?' Lucius was astonished and it was all that Harry could do to stop laughing at Lucius's face.

'Master has given me clothes. I am free.' Dobby said once more in a voice that dripped with wonder.

Lucius Malfoy blazed with anger. He unscrewed his cane and lifted his wand, when Dobby snapped his fingers. "I shall not allow Master to harm anyone.'

CRASH! Lucius Malfoy went flying and hit the door of the Headmaster's office and crumpled down. Everyone was still with shock and the room was totally silent.

In that silence, Snape got up and moved slowly to Malfoy and helped him stand up even as the others watched with open mouths. Snape simply looked into Lucius's eyes, apparently trying to convey something to him. Malfoy stood there for a second more, looking into Snape's eyes and then, he swiftly turned and walked out of the Headmaster's office, slamming the door behind him.

_**End of Chapter – 20**_

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	21. Chapter 21

_**Thank you, every one of you, who have read this story so far and to every one of you who took that extra minute to review. Thank you zeynel**_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 21**_

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Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape walked out of the Headmaster's office after Lucius slammed the door behind him. Snape did not speak a word but led a willing Malfoy to the dungeons and into his chambers. Snape went directly to his cabinet and took out a couple of glasses and poured the red elf made wine and silently handed one glass to Lucius, who had thrown himself in a very un – Malfoyish way on the sofa.

'What happened, Severus?' Lucius asked him after a silence that became slightly oppressive. Snape was not saying anything; he was simply sipping his wine and looking sympathetically at Lucius, willing him to speak first.

'Today morning?' Snape asked him and continued when Lucius nodded. 'Well I noticed something was amiss when the old loony got up suddenly and started walking swiftly towards the main doors of the Great Hall and halfway he broke into a run. I got up and ran to see what it was that could rile up the old man so. I was not disappointed initially, Lucius. Only a bit later it turned rather frightening.

'The Weasley girl was screaming that she would kill Potter; this I heard from Dumbledore and Potter, really that boy is so lucky, I wish he would fail somewhere, really. He threw a curse and avoided the Avada no less, how I really don't know and fired a stunner, but before he could do more, Dumbledore himself fired a stunner at the girl. A few minutes later, the ghostly form of a young boy rose out of her and vanished. Dumbledore said that was our Lord while he was very young.'

Lucius paled and was sweating profusely as Snape's explanation went on and by the time Snape finished, he was trembling, a far cry from the Lucius Malfoy the world knew.

'Lucius? What is the matter? Did that elf harm you?' Snape asked him, leaning forward in concern. Lucius hesitated only for a minute.

'Severus. I think I am in trouble. I placed that diary in her Transfiguration Book. That was a diary our Lord had given to me. It was an extremely dark object and I wanted to be free of this if there were any checks by the aurors, since this showed up under the auror scans. Now it looks like…' Lucius hesitated for a second and looked into Snape's eyes and trembled. 'What is it Lucius? You don't have to tell me if you must not. I understand out Lord will be angry if you reveal what I need not know.'

Those were the right words to say and Lucius shivered once more, 'Looks like a horcrux, Severus and it seems to have been destroyed, because I could not find anything magical in that diary, let alone traces of dark magic.' Snape stared in apparent shock. 'What a horcrux. Lucius are you sure?' He asked and sat back when Lucius nodded his head.

Snap was silent for sometime, before he answered, choosing his words carefully. 'I think you should somehow plant the suggestion by means of an anonymous letter to make the aurors search your house and pour some dark magic into a diary which looks like the one destroyed and let them take it. That way the Dark Lord will be angry, but will not be able to accuse you of having deliberately destroying the diary. You can tell our Lord that this Diary was something different; a dark object that you made on your own to cause trouble for Arthur in the Ministry, only it backfired on you, just in case he comes to know of this incident. What do you think?'

Lucius looked long at Snape, whose face was bland as he sat back looking very matter of fact and slowly Lucius nodded. 'I think I'll do that. But Severus, I can count upon you not to reveal…'

'But of course Lucius. You have my word.' Snape said sincerely and Lucius got to his feet, with a small relieved smile and walked out after thanking Snape, a determined look on his face and looking more like the Lucius Malfoy of old.

Snape heaved a sigh of relief as he watched Lucius Malfoy walk out of his rooms to do just the thing Snape suggested. Snape hoped this would be fine and would not mess up the timeline and create more problems. He cursed a bit, Harry was not telling him anything much and it was frustrating him. Well, he would have to try and put some more questions to Harry Potter if he needed to make sure his actions would not harm the original timeline.

His thoughts went back to the time when Harry had almost broken down and he sighed. He very much hoped Harry would marry Ginny. He would not wish what he had gone through seeing Lily with James Potter on anyone, not even Voldemort, Snape decided as he remembered the jealousy and the bitterness that had welled up in his heart, when he saw them together. James and Sirius made sure they never hexed him or the others in front of Lily and she had been taken in by that, thinking James Potter had changed, he thought angrily.

Snape sat still for a minute, before the memories of those days came back as always. Lily had been happy. That was what hurt him, he had realized later. She had been truly happy with Potter of all people and had a living proof of that love in Harry James Potter as well. He had almost lost his mind when he came to know they were planning to marry.

Lily had never spoken to him after that night. Not once in the two years and after they left Hogwarts he had never even seen her. And then she had died. And he had been the cause for it. Snape's face twisted in a very horrible way as the guilt burned into him as if new. Why did he have to take the damn Prophecy to the Dark Lord? And why did Potter of all kids have to be born on the last day of the seventh month and why oh why did the bloody James Potter not listen to Dumbledore and make him the secret keeper instead of choosing Black and the rat of all people? Even after they were warned, they could not protect themselves.

Snape snarled as he thought of Peter. But then he sagged again. While his mind could come up with many reason that were perfectly true, his heart would never listen and there it was he, who was responsible for the death of Lily and for the breaking of her family. He wondered how Harry was able to stand talking to him when Harry knew that it was because of him his parents died.

At that time the floo turned green and Snape looked up, schooling his face into blankness and stood up as Dumbledore's head appeared. 'Can you come up for a minute Severus? Has Lucius left?'

Snape sneered. Dumbledore had called him, because he had known Lucius left. He nodded silently and walked to the floo to take a pinch of floo powder and waiting only for Dumbledore to withdraw his head, Snape threw the floo powder and stepped into the fire. Time to report to Dumbledore, he thought, about what Lucius said.

-----------------------

Sirius and Remus were having their lunch in Diagon Alley, planning to go to a meeting in the afternoon, when Hedwig flew into The Leaky Cauldron and landed on the table, holding out her leg. Sirius grinned at Remus, his eyes brightening as he untied the letter on Hedwig's leg and opened it. His smile abruptly turned into a frown and then a scowl. He stood up abruptly, throwing the letter towards Remus and strode to the fireplace, throwing a few galleons on the counter for Tom.

Remus, in the meanwhile had hastily stood up reading the letter as well, and his face too, showed the sudden tension as he finished the letter, running to the fireplace, just as Sirius was throwing a pinch of the floo powder and stepping into the fire, shouting 'The Three Broomsticks'. Remus followed suit and soon they were running on the road that led from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts. Sirius opened the gates, just as Lucius Malfoy was finishing his talk with Snape, and ran inside.

Sirius ran through the main doors and the stairs to the Headmaster's office, missing Lucius Malfoy who was just stepping out of the dungeons. Sirius ran to the gargoyle and stopped, his chest heaving with all the exhaustion. It took a few minutes for him to get his breath back and he spent the next few minutes trying all kinds of wizarding and muggle sweets. The gargoyle finally opened to Mars Bars from Remus, and Sirius now with another burst of energy ran up the stairs and opened the door, without even knocking on it.

They opened the door to see Snape step through the fire with Dumbledore standing near it. Dumbledore turned with a slight frown which turned to a smile as he saw Sirius and Remus rushing in.

'Hello Sirius, Remus. This is indeed a pleasant surprise.' Dumbledore exclaimed walking over to his chair and sitting down, gesturing Sirius, Remus and Snape to sit down as well.

'Tea?' he asked to an almost bursting to ask questions Sirius.

'No Albus. We received a letter from Harry today afternoon saying that he was attacked by Ginny Weasley of all people and he says she was possessed and the killing curse was not her fault. The killing curse, Albus? Just what is happening here? That elf was correct. It said horrible things would happen in Hogwarts and asked Harry not to go. Right, now I've made my decision. Harry as of this minute is with drawn from here. No more.' Sirius was panting once again and his eyes looked bleak as he whispered, 'I can't lose him too, Albus. He's all I've got.'

Albus smiled gently. 'I know, Sirius, and I was so worried yesterday, when I heard Miss. Weasley shout at Harry. I cast the stunner that stopped her and then a few minutes later, Voldemort came out of her body and vanished. She was apparently possessed. The elf was Lucius Malfoy's and it came here along with him today and there was a piece of cloth in that diary that he gave to the elf and he unintentionally freed it.' Dumbledore's eyes were smiling along with him, as he remembered the scene in his office a little while ago.

'So it was Malfoy. How dare he?' Sirius asked outraged, Remus and Snape simply sitting and watching; Remus with a worried look and Snape with an unreadable expression, that was mildly sneering.

'It was Malfoy indeed and I have warned him, I think he will not try anything like this again.' Dumbledore said soberly.

'Wait a minute, Albus. You said Voldemort came out of her body. How was that?' Sirius asked and they listened to Dumbledore's explanation, as he told them the events of the last day and a half. He did not mention his suspicion that it may be a horcrux and Sirius did not catch on to it either.

'How is Ginny Weasley now? It must have been horrible for her. I would also like to see Harry, if you don't mind Albus. Just to see for ourselves, that he is fine.' Sirius told him and stood up, preparing to see Harry, his face a bit more cheerful now. He smiled his thanks to Dumbledore and nodded once to Snape, who did not acknowledge it, and rolling his eyes Sirius, and Remus smiled at Albus and went away.

'Would you have some tea, Severus?' Albus asked him, pouring a cup for himself, when Snape shook his head.

'It was Lucius, Dumbledore. It was he, who placed the diary into the Weasley's girl's cauldron.' Snape hesitated a bit here. He had wanted to talk to Harry before he reported to Albus, but Dumbledore had called him quickly. Snape was in two minds about informing Dumbledore about the horcrux. Dumbledore was waiting patiently for Snape to speak again, and Snape squared his shoulders and looked at Dumbledore.

'The diary apparently was a horcrux.' He said blandly, watching as Dumbledore choked on his tea. It was not every time that he could surprise him, and Snape felt an immense satisfaction.

'What? Who told you that? Lucius?' he asked, his desire to have tea, apparently all gone.

Snape nodded. 'Yes, Dumbledore it was he. This diary kept popping up in his scans and he was worried that if anyone from the Ministry would come, this could not be concealed. So he decided to place it in the Weasley girl's book and hoped that it would get her into a lot of trouble.' Snape shuddered. 'I thank Merlin, that the Dark Lord did not possess her the way he possessed Potter. It would have destroyed her.'

Dumbledore nodded his face very serious. 'Indeed, Severus. We must be thankful for that. So Voldemort has made horcruxes. I have suspected it for sometime now; this proves it.' Dumbledore sighed. 'Poor Harry. He has such a task in front of him. We must make it as simple for him as we can, Severus.'

Snape nodded and stood up when Dumbledore nodded back at him and with a twist of his feet he billowed away to the fireplace and went back to the peace of his dungeons to wait for Harry Potter.

---------------

Just after Lucius Malfoy had left, Molly and Arthur Weasley had tackled Harry and had apologized to him, making him feel very embarrassed. He brushed it all off and could not help leaning into Molly's embrace when she tightly hugged him, pouring all her gratitude into the hug. She was still crying terrified at what might have almost happened. Her daughter might have even been kissed or sent to Azkaban for the rest of her life had Harry pressed charges. Instead, it had been this remarkable boy who had spoken so confidently and assuredly for Ginny.

Ginny herself, was crying and looking very frightened. She had had a crush on Harry for as long as she could remember and now, she had almost killed him. She shuddered in self-disgust. Harry, she knew would never look at her even in friendship and he would never talk to her as he did in her dreams. She bent her head down in a gesture of defeat and tried to stop crying and thinking about anything and everything.

Thankfully the bell had rung then and all of them left the elder Weasleys and went to their classes, silently and very subdued. Ginny was excused from her classes and she went with her mother to The Burrow to recover and also to give the other students time to forget. She would return after Christmas.

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Sirius and Remus, after their meeting with Dumbledore had walked through the School, searching for Harry until they realized he was probably in his classes. They came to the main doors and decided to wait for classes to get over for the day and meet Harry and only then leave Hogwarts. They sat down on the steps of the main door and whiled away the afternoon, discussing what Dumbledore had told them. As soon as the bell rung for the last class, Sirius called an elf and asked it to call Harry to them.

In a few minutes, Harry came running along with Neville and Hermione, looking very anxious. 'Sirius, Remus, what happened? Are you both fine?' he shouted as he screeched to a halt, panting heavily, looking at both of them deeply.

"Harry, we are okay. We came for you. I got your letter today and we've been here since. I wanted to see you if you were okay, and Remus and I decided to do just that before we left. What happened, yesterday?'

So Harry once more launched into the story of what happened yesterday and answered as many questions as he could and satisfied them finally, with Neville and Hermione helping him.

'Harry, listen to me carefully. I want you to stop your friendship with Malfoy. It was his father who was responsible for the diary and I am afraid his son will be no better.' Sirius told him, his eyes and face not ready to take no for an answer.

'Sirius, if Malfoy even shows a bit of anything bad, I'll simply break off with him. I swear. Please believe me on this one. I won't take any risks and you can ask Neville and Hermione here. He has been very nice Sirius, and I don't want to blame him for the sins of his father and break off with him. Please.' Harry pleaded with him. Half an hour of much pleading and arguing, Sirius sighed at Harry's stubbornness and his refusal to see any sense in Sirius's words.

He looked helplessly at Remus and then sighed and shrugged in resignation. 'Be careful Harry. And don't let him get too close.' Sirius warned him. 'Sirius, he's good. He's a very nice guy. He is not like his father and I've already promised you I'll break it off if he becomes like that. Don't you worry, okay?' Harry reassured him and then waved goodbye to a very unsatisfied Sirius and a slightly worried Remus, and turned to see Draco walking out stonily towards Harry.

Harry quickly schooled his expression into blandness, inwardly worried about what Draco had heard and how he took it. 'Can I talk with you for a minute?' he asked.

'Sure Draco.' And Harry walked a little away from Neville and Hermione and Draco too, left his friends who were looking worried and came over to Harry.

'Why did Black and Lupin tell you to avoid me?' he asked his face white and pinched. Harry looked at him for a long minute and then quietly told him what happened. Draco had come there at the end and had been shocked to hear Sirius and Remus tell Harry to stay away from him. He was even more shocked by Harry's response. Harry had told them, he would break it off, if Draco would become like his father. That had made Draco very confused and hurt. He had almost shouted at Harry, but all this time with him, had made Draco realize that Harry was not a person to talk lightly. So he had pushed down his anger and had asked him what the matter was and why suddenly the Malfoys weren't good enough for Harry and his Godfather.

The reason shocked him beyond anything. His father had been responsible for placing a dark artefact that possessed a student and had tried to kill Harry. Had anybody else told Draco negative things about his father, he would have hexed them and become their enemy. But this was Harry; who would never lie to him. He knew that instinctively and he somehow trusted Harry on this. And he did not know what to say. He stared at Harry feeling extremely mortified and wondering why in the name of Merlin he had asked Harry anything at all in the first place. He should have known Harry would have a reason for everything.

'I understand if you'll no longer want to be friends.' Draco told Harry, his voice all strained as he spoke the toughest words that almost broke him.

'Why should I not be friends with you Draco? I told Sirius and Remus that I'll stay away, if I feel you were trying to harm me. Not otherwise. And I know you'll never do that.' Harry told him, looping his arm into Draco's and smiling at him. Draco was stunned. Harry believed that he would not harm him. He was so confident about Draco and was willing to be friends with him, even if his father had tried to kill him. Draco felt very bitter as he thought of his father, but he pushed those thoughts down and decided to think about them later.

'And besides, you warned me, you know. That helped as well. But I could not tell them that, because you told me to keep it a secret. Come on. Let's go down to the dungeons and help Snape. He'll kill us otherwise.' Harry told him and refusing to talk further about what happened with Ginny, Harry led them all down.

---------------

It was after these classes that Sirius and Remus had met them and Draco confronted him. After sending them away and talking to Draco, all of them trooped down to the dungeons and knocked at the door. Snape opened it and asked only Harry to come inside and shut and warded the door, disregarding the protests made by a slightly daring Hermione.

Snape after warding the door, waited for Harry to start his work, watching him all the while. Harry took his time, before he came to Snape's desk and sat down in the chair opposite Snape, and softly told him everything. Snape in turn told him what Lucius Malfoy had said, and Snape's own suggestion and then there was only silence.

'Now that all this drama is over, how is the potion coming along? Call Hermione and the others once in a while, Dumbledore will get suspicious otherwise.' Harry told him, and looked in shock, as Snape rolled his eyes, in an entirely human and unSnapeish way.

The next few weeks went by smoothly, with Ron and Draco being extremely subdued and not talking much or even hexing each other. Harry decided, it was a good side effect of a bad event and let it be. Ginny was in the Burrow and Harry enquired after her periodically and Ron always answered with a blush and a hushed whisper that she was fine. If Draco was with Harry, he would glare at him, but as Dumbledore had told all of them, Draco did not know or have a clue about his father's activities, and the fact he was very quiet, made the Weasleys quiet too.

Holidays came upon them and all of them spent it in the School, reading, exchanging gifts and working everyday on the potion. Draco, refused to go home, and wrote his father, saying that he wanted to be here, because of the potion.

The weather was now very cold, and it was snowing almost everyday and a bone chilling January gave way to a very wet February. Harry was breathing a sigh of relief about the normalcy of the days going by and after the nervousness and the tenseness of the first three months, the two months after the diary was destroyed totally opposite and Harry very much enjoyed it.

Ginny was very stilted when she came back scared and a shadow of herself and it was only now, after almost two months that she was settling down into any kind of normalcy that a first year should have had in the first place. February came and went and now there was the suppressed excitement about the potion.

The potion would be ready by the first week of March and all students both purebloods and muggleborns were equally excited at what they would find; the muggleborns to which family they would belong to and the pureblood, hoping their families had not been responsible for squibs. There were fierce arguments on both sides that only increased in intensity as the countdown to the first of March began.

Snape had brewed the two potions perfectly and in the last month, he pestered Harry to tell him about Harry's mother. 'I really do not understand your childishness in hiding this. I am going to find out anyway. Why can you not tell me now?' he had demanded rather petulantly of Harry, who had grinned at him, but had refused to say a word. Snape had been furious, but could not do anything at all.

'Is she… are you related to Malfoy, the Dark Lord or Lestrange?' he had asked, 'or Merlin! Black?' he had asked his arms folded tightly across his chest and Harry had grinned. 'Okay, I'll not tell you.' He had said and Snape had sat down abruptly. 'What?' he had asked faintly, 'Lily is related to the Dark Lord?'

Harry had laughed aloud and had shaken his head, and had watched gleefully as Snape, got up and wiped his face. 'Then perhaps, she is related to Potter himself?' he asked Harry, raising one eyebrow, making Harry feel very envious of that ability. Much as he had tried, Harry could not do it as perfectly as Snape did, or so effortlessly.

'No, no, no Snape, I am not telling you. I want to watch your face when you find out. That will be my Patronus moment from then on. And if you get Dumbledore there as well, I'll even be able to get two to three Patronus with one spell.'

That had made Snape even more curious and he had almost begged. Almost, before he realized what he had almost done and had stormed off. From then onwards, Snape did not ask Harry about the potions at all, preferring to work in silence than lower his dignity in front of a boy who would not say a word.

The first week of March came by and everyone was excited and anxious and worried. Most of the Gryffindors who were muggleborns hoped they would not be related to the Slytherins, who in turn were hoping that no muggleborn would be related to them.

Lucius Malfoy and other pureblood Slytherins and a few Ravenclaws had already written to Snape and Dumbledore, asking him to call for a parents meeting and announce the results before them. The Ministry came to know through The Daily Prophet. The paper had received an anonymous letter from Harry and Snape, who had written a brief note on the first of March informing The Daily Prophet of the potion that was being brewed by the Head of Slytherin House and Potions Master Severus Snape, so that there would be no false reports of just which muggleborn would be related to which pureblood family.

The way Snape and Harry had worded it, made those at The Daily Prophet feel that it was from a Slytherin family, who was anxious to have The Daily Prophet also on the job, so that the Headmaster or anybody else would not tamper with the potion. From there it went to the Ministry who also came to Dumbledore and asked him to announce the results publicly for everyone to know.

By the end of the first week of March, everyone was talking only of this and Snape and Harry had chosen that Friday to test the students and let Dumbledore announce the results on Saturday.

On Friday morning, all the muggleborn students assembled in the Great Hall, and looked at the staff table eagerly. Snape was already there, with 2 huge cauldrons (having made all the three potions but having mixed them and placed them into two cauldrons) and many vials. Dumbledore was there and so were all the professors who also looked pretty excited as much as the students.

The professors decided to go in alphabetical order and started with Allen, Charles, a seventh year half blood. His father had been a muggle born wizard. He came up nervously and swallowed the potion and went to a large table where two large parchments were placed side by side. He pricked his finger and let one drops fall into each parchment. For a second nothing happened then, slowly the names started appearing to the fascination of the entire staff and Charles Allen. They started from his name and slowly went upwards, showing his parents, grandparents and so on.

His father was apparently descended from a wizarding family called Crestar, whose daughter had been a squib some two centuries ago and she had married a muggle and settled far away from the Wizarding World. Charles Allen was overwhelmed as he received his parchment and went back to his seat, where he was besieged by friends who wanted to know all about his wizarding roots.

Slowly all the muggleborns started going up to the staff table one by one and got their family ancestry chart and were proved that they too were only witches and wizards from sometimes known and sometimes unknown wizarding families and almost all of them moved to the muggle world because their ancestor was a squib.

Hermione's turn came and she went up, shaking with nerves and drank the potion and placed two drops of her blood on the two pieces of paper. The names started forming and some six generations earlier, was one Celina Black who had been born a squib and had married a muggle Evan Granger. It was from her genes, that Hermione's magic had come. She looked at Snape, who had seen the name of Black and was now sneering at her, and Dumbledore and McGonagall, who were smiling at her and Hermione felt all her emotions burst just like so many of those who had come before her, and she started crying, as Dumbledore, rolled the now dry parchment and gave it to her.

She stumbled and turned and ran to Harry and threw herself on him, sobbing in her excitement and a bit of fear that she had had thinking she may be related to evil wizarding families. Now that was not so, she was crying on Harry's shoulders in utter relief that she belonged to Harry's Godfather's family.

Then came Harry's turn. He smiled as his name was called out and walked smartly towards the staff table. He knew whose family his mother came from and he was neither excited or anything. He was watching Snape very closely, though.

A second after Harry's blood fell on both the parchments, the names started appearing. They went on quite a few generations back. And then Harry looked at Snape and Dumbledore as the wizarding name began to appear on the paper. _**Morgana Prince.**_

_**End of Chapter – 21**_

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	22. Chapter 22

_**Thank you everyone of you who have read this story so far and to every one who took that extra minute to post a review. Thank you, corey, Harriverse, zeynel, Ahhh, Echo, Gowvan, deeps85, Paul, Raine, AmberJack, killinguwithumbrellas**_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 22**_

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Harry had known whom he was related to. The last time, this had not created any ripples, because Snape's portrait had not yet been put up in the Headmaster's office and only Lily had been affected. James and Sirius had looked stony when Harry told them, and then they had brushed it off. Lily had cried a little and then all of them except Harry had forgotten it. Harry had it in the back of his mind but had not said anything, as the arguments otherwise were pretty ugly already.

This time around, he had been curious about Snape's and Dumbledore's reaction to what the potion would reveal, because almost all the purebloods would have a muggleborn witch or wizard as a relation and be descended from them. He had watched as each name had been called and knew Snape was very curious about his mother. He also knew Dumbledore would want to know as well which family had Lily been a part of. Harry was very much looking forward to seeing both their reactions and was hoping for a good laugh about it with Snape later on, and who knew Harry thought, grinning to himself, he could also get away with teasing Snape as well.

Harry waited patiently until his name was called and he went walking swiftly and at the same time, taking care to walk keeping both Snape and Dumbledore in his line of vision. He drank the potion calmly and then poked his finger and let the blood drop on to the parchments and waited for Morgana Prince's name to appear.

Morgana Prince was a squib. The Princes were apparently an affluent family until a few generations ago. They were inordinately proud of their family not unlike the Blacks and they were all Slytherins. Morgana was born some two hundred and odd years ago and she married a muggle called Gartin. It was from that couple that Lily was descended. A few generations later a daughter born in the Gratin family whose name was Primrose and who married another muggle called Thomas Evans. In the Evans line Lily was born, and apart from her no one else until Harry's time had exhibited any magic at all. By the time Primrose married Thomas, the Gratins had completely lost touch with the world of magic and they lived like all other muggles.

The Princes in the meantime had lost their affluence, and slowly they merged with other ordinary wizarding people of no special mention. They lived quietly. A few generations later Eileen Prince, Snape's mother was born into that family. She was the only daughter of Socrates Severus Prince and Xarina Rosemerta Prince. She married a muggle, Tobias Snape. The elderly Princes were furious and refused to have anything to do with their daughter and grandson, and died without seeing their grandson even once.

Harry blinked as the parchment came up with the name of Morgana Prince and looked at Snape and Dumbledore. A second later he started to laugh at their expressions.

--------------------

Snape got up early that morning, with almost a spring in his step. He was going to know Lily's family. Harry did not look worried or thoughtful; so Snape concluded that Lily's family was someone whom Harry approved of. He had wondered over and over about which family Lily was a part of and he had placed his bets on a few of them. The only families he could think of were the Dumbledores, Potters, Blacks and Malfoys.

Harry had also told him, he wanted to see Snape's reaction and that he thought it would be extremely funny, so it was a family Harry was comfortable with and yet would shock Snape. Well, Snape decided all these families would shock him nicely, but now that he almost knew; he was instinctively a good guesser after all and he would not be shocked and he would NOT give Harry Potter the chance to create a Patronus using his reaction. With such determination burning in his chest, Severus Snape smirked to himself and got ready for the day.

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Dumbledore was told by Snape that the potion would be ready by the end of the week and Dumbledore had been very happy. From that time onwards his mind had started wandering. Whose family did Lily belong to? He knew in his family there were no squibs, but then his mother was a muggleborn, and perhaps there may be something in that. Perhaps Harry was related to him. On that thought assailing him, Dumbledore became very much excited. He slowly calmed down later, but the thoughts of the Saturday and Potions were never far away all that week and on Saturday, he also woke in a suppressed state of excitement. He had initially been very curious about Harry, but slowly, he had come to like the boy very much. Harry intrigued him and made him think, especially about his confidence and his very clear thinking and dynamic actions, but he realized that he also like the boy a lot and would not mind him as a relative.

-----------------

The morning slowly arrived for Snape, Harry and Dumbledore. Snape and Dumbledore got up very early that morning and were one of the first ones to come to the Great Hall.

'Good Morning Severus.' Dumbledore said cheerily. 'Today is the big day where we will once and for all put an end to all this muggle born discrimination. I am very happy, Severus.'

Snape sneered, but kept quiet. McGonagall though was curious. 'For the children Albus? Yes. This will hopefully stop all the dogmatic opinions that most purebloods seem to favour.'

Dumbledore nodded and then smiled widely again. 'I am wondering if I will be related to anyone here, I would like to be related to Harry, he is the child I know best among all children in the School and he is a delightful child.'

Snape almost laughed outright at that. Delightful child was something he would not use with Harry. But then, to be fair to Dumbledore, Snape knew much more about Harry than Dumbledore, well, this time at least. Instead he sneered.

'I also thought about just who may be related to whom. While I could care less about whom Potter is related to, I sincerely hope Lily will be related to someone decent. Not any of the death eaters or the Blacks or any Slytherin, in fact.'

Dumbledore simply stared at Snape, before he blinked once and looked away. He was shocked. Snape was speaking almost normally about Lily. In the past years, Dumbledore had never heard Snape utter the word Lily, after Snape met him in his office, shortly after Lily's death. The last thirteen years, Dumbledore could count on one hand, how many times Snape would have spoken of Lily and mentioned her by name. And yet, today, Snape was talking normally about her as he would about Minerva or some one else. Dumbledore was amazed and decided not to comment on it and draw Snape's attention, lest he went back to his old ways, where he suffered as much as he Dumbledore did with the fallout with Grindelwald. Dumbledore's eyes clouded for a minute, before he shrugged off memories that still had the power to hurt him, decades after they happened and smiled at Snape and Minerva.

'Oh, I would not mind a Slytherin who is not working for Voldemort, Severus. I only hope whoever it may be would treat him as family. He has Sirius and Remus as well, but this would be blood family and if they are above suspicion, we could ask them to stay with Harry for a few weeks in the holidays, so that the blood protection he lost because of not staying at the Dursleys can be negated.'

'I thought he was well protected here.' Snape asked him, with a frown.

'He is, but at Privet Drive, there was a blood protection that came from Lily's blood Severus. That was powerful and to have such a protection would be wonderful. Harry is safe at Grimmauld Place though, do not worry.' Dumbledore told him and smiled as he watched the sneer flash on Snape's face.

'Worry, about Harry Potter. Dumbledore, you are joking surely.' Snape told him and turned away as the doors of the Great Hall opened and students walked in, all of them in a suppressed state of excitement.

The professors too, were very excited as well and after breakfast, they started with the Potion, deciding to call from the seventh year and go year by year, and they called out names one by one and slowly they finished with the seventh years, and came to the sixth years and worked their way down.

Snape was using his Occlumency to the fullest when Harry's name came closer and closer and then suddenly it was Harry's turn. 'Potter, Harry.' McGonagall called and Snape watched as Harry stood up smartly and walked very coolly to the staff table and take the potion and let a drop of blood fall on to the parchments. Snape and Dumbledore watched with fascination and then were completely shocked and taken aback when they saw the name of Morgana Prince.

Harry was related to a Slytherin and that Slytherin was none other than Severus Snape!

Dumbledore could not believe his eyes that had become wide with shock and his mouth open and hanging rather unattractively. Snape in the meantime had watched intently as the names appeared with threads shooting up and down between the names and saw the name that had separated from the wizarding family and gone into the muggle world because she was not accepted there. Morgana Prince! One of his ancestors from his own family had turned away one child because she could not do magic. And Lily was descended from her and Harry was her son. Lily was related to him, Snape! And Snape after that thought could not think. He looked at Harry in total shock and staggered back and abruptly sat down on a chair, his mind completely at a standstill and unable to work.

---------------------

That was when Harry looked at them and started laughing. Their expressions were too funny and he could just not help it and let himself go. A minute later he calmed himself, thinking it was certainly a Patronus moment, perhaps he could cast even two. He _would_ taunt Snape with this.

'Sir, what is the matter? Is this Morgana Prince related to Voldemort or one of his death eaters?' he asked Dumbledore who choked again and Snape made a strangulated noise that could have been anything from indignation to horror. Harry, feeling he deserved a medal for his acting skills was now showing slight fear and concern, instead of the laughter. 'You and Professor Snape looked so funny, but then I realized, that both of you were shocked and sir, it is a bit scary. Er… please tell me which family this is Sir'

'Harry we will talk after this work is finished. I was slightly shocked. I was in fact hoping you would be related to me.' He said smiling and now it was Harry who choked and coughed. Merlin! Dumbledore thought he would be related to him. A second later though, Harry smiled much moved by that revelation, his green eyes very brilliantly shining in his face. 'Thank you Sir.' He said softly and smiled when Dumbledore beamed at him. He knew Dumbledore loved him, even the last time Dumbledore had loved him as his own; the difference of opinion they had was in his manipulations, where Harry differed in a few decisions, mainly relating to Snape.

'That's okay Harry. You have a new family now and they are as good as you can get. We will talk later. Come to my office as soon as this is over, will you? I will keep this parchment with me for now and give it to you later. Now run to your friends. They are beginning to look anxious.' and smiled once more as Harry nodded and ran off.

Snape was still to speak a word. His black eyes were wide in his face and he had begun to turn blue before he remembered to breathe. Harry grinned to himself, Snape had never expected this; not in a million years, he was still reeling with shock. Harry went to Hermione and sat down nest to her. She had stopped crying, but there were still traces of her fear on her face, that she may have been related to some truly horrible person, and she merely squeezed Harry's hand and looked at him.

'I'll tell you later. It's some family not very well known, apparently. Dumbledore wants me to meet him after this. I'll know then, I think. He'll probably try and contact the Ministry to see if there are living relatives now, I suppose.' She nodded and they turned to the staff table. Snape had got up and was now calling the rest of the names. He did not look at Harry and Dumbledore, but simply went on with his task.

Slowly all the muggleborns and half blood children finished with taking the potion and having their parchments done and Dumbledore dismissed everyone and walked out, looking at Harry, smiling and nodding his head. Snape was walking behind Dumbledore and was looking straight ahead with a huge scowl on his face.

Harry grinned to himself and stood up, and started walking towards Dumbledore and soon joined him and Snape. Snape walked in complete silence and Harry followed suit, but Dumbledore had apparently got over his shock, and was softly humming to himself.

They reached the gargoyle and after a cheery 'cockroach clusters' all three of them went up the stairs to Dumbledore's office and seated themselves. Dumbledore conjured tea, sandwiches, and cakes, handed them around and looked at Harry, who was munching on a sandwich and sipping his tea in great unconcern. Snape on the other hand was now softly growling to himself and muttering things to himself. Suddenly he looked up at Dumbledore.

'I wish to speak to him alone for a second Headmaster. If you will give me permission…' Snape trailed off, looking at Dumbledore in the eye.

Dumbledore looked deeply into Snape's eyes and then sighed and slowly nodded. 'You can take the conference room, Severus.' Snape was already shaking his head. 'No Dumbledore. I will take him down to the potions office or lab. In fact if you will give me permission I will floo down with him from here.'

'Sir?' Harry asked hesitantly and gulped as both of them looked at him, one smiling and the other scowling. 'Is there something wrong in the parchment Sir? Is my mother related to a death eater or Voldemort or someone like that?' he asked as Dumbledore choked on the death eater and Snape glared at him.

'You will know in a minute, Potter as soon as the Headmaster gives us permission to leave.' Snape told him softly, his anger all but vanished from his face and Dumbledore was once again struck at the change in Snape. He was smiling rather nastily and his black eyes were glinting with suppressed anger. Dumbledore was quite worried.

'Perhaps Severus, both of us should speak to Harry.' Dumbledore managed to say, before he was cut off abruptly by Snape.

'You need not worry Headmaster, I will take care of Potter and we will both come and meet you once I finish talking to him. You must grant me this.' Snape told Dumbledore who sighed again and slowly nodded his head, looking at Harry and smiling at him. Harry was looking very worried by now and so was Dumbledore but Snape was very, very calm, a fact that worried Dumbledore even more.

'Both of you will come here after you have finished with him, I hope Severus?' Dumbledore asked him, standing up and walking towards Snape who was already near the fireplace, his hands going to the floo powder. Harry also stood up and walked quietly to the fireplace and stepped into the fire after Snape with the words, 'potions office' after Snape. The last thing he saw was a worried and yet slightly smiling Dumbledore standing there looking at him.

Harry stepped off the fire and followed Snape into his chambers and waited for Snape to extensively ward his already warded to the brim chambers, and watched Snape close the fire place and turn towards him. Harry had in the meantime thrown himself on a sofa and seeing Snape's grim expression, started to laugh.

Snape stood there, his hands folded tightly against his chest and waited for Harry to stop laughing. Harry laughed for a good three minutes, 'Your face, Snape. It was hilarious. I never had so much fun. And Dumbledore looks ugly with his mouth open and hanging with all his face hair getting into it. Ugh!'

'Have you quite finished?' Snape asked him chillingly. Harry smiled and nodded his head. The next second, 'HOW DARE YOU? HOW DARE YOU NOT TELL ME THAT LILY WAS RELATED TO ME.? DID YOU NOT THINK I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO KNOW? HOW COULD YOU KEEP SOMETHING LIKE THIS FROM ME?' and Snape threw a water hex, that hit Harry's face with a strong jet of water and almost choked him.

Harry hurriedly cast the drying charm on himself, coughed and spat out the water from his mouth and turned to Snape.

'I knew you would know anyway. I wanted to see your face, Snape and I am not disappointed. What remains is when Dumbledore calls Sirius and Remus and tells them this. Can you imagine the scene?' Harry started laughing again.

Snape went and sat down opposite Harry and looked at him with disdain. 'Lily knew about this?' he asked abruptly.

Harry stopped laughing. 'Yes and she was very thrilled and slightly upset that she had not known before.'

'Did I speak to her? Why won't you tell me Potter? At least let me go and speak to her now. Activate that portrait for me.' Harry simply gaped at him. Was this Snape or someone else, he wondered. Snape was talking to him as a friend and it simply took Harry's breath away. Okay, so it was a rather petulant friend who was demanding information from him, but the casualness of Snape's speech was nothing short of amazing to Harry.

'You know you can't Snape. It is simply not advisable. Mum would want Dad's portrait to be activated at once, not to mention she and Dad would ask me how I could access the vault and how I knew the password. I could not tell them, my Dad would tell Sirius and Remus and that's not on. I did not want you to know, remember. Only you found out by a stroke of luck. I don't need their lectures and advices, not to mention the arguments Snape. We are coming on nicely and let me get Voldemort, then I'll unlock Mum's portrait for you and you could chat with her for as long as you like. But not now, please.'

Snape was quiet a long moment. 'There is something you are not telling me Potter. What is it?' he asked conversationally, seating himself opposite Harry.

Harry snorted inelegantly. 'Of course I'm not telling you stuff, Snape. I'm not telling you a lot of things. As it is I have changed too much, I feel at times. I only hope all this will not change the original timeline and create so many unknowns that I flounder and fail in my task. Please understand Snape. I'll tell you everything slowly. As it is only you know so much, not even Sirius and Remus know. Please don't kick up a fuss.'

Snape was silent, thinking over Harry's words and Harry continued. 'You never guessed did you. You staggered Snape, staggered and looked sooo unSnape, it was shocking, truly.'

Snape sneered at Harry grin. 'No, I did not guess Potter. I don't think of your mother as a relation like this.' He stopped abruptly realizing what he had said and stood up. 'Time to go to Dumbledore's office and speak to him. I will tell him I've told you and back me there. Alright? Then come on.' And Snape turned and walked away, hiding his face that had become quite flushed and embarrassed. Harry was taken aback. Snape had almost revealed his true feelings regarding his mother and Harry himself flushed with embarrassment for a minute, not knowing how to react to something like this from Snape of all people. Fortunately for him, Snape went away embarrassed himself, if his flushed face was anything to go by.

Harry smiled and stood up and followed Snape quietly and soon flooed along with Snape to Dumbledore's office and met a visibly relieved Dumbledore who beamed at Harry's accomplishment to come back with a personal meeting with Severus Snape in one shape and good cheer as a bonus as well.

'Well Harry, has Severus told you about who the Prince family are?' Dumbledore asked him.

'Yes Sir. I am related to the brilliant Professor Sir.' Harry told Dumbledore wide eyed and smiled as Dumbledore chucked. 'Brilliant is correct Harry. Severus is one of the best Potions Master in all of Wizarding Britain and indeed in the entire Wizarding World.'

'Yes Sir.' Harry said smartly and stole a glance at a Snape who was pressing his lips together trying to seal his lips from uttering profanities that would only get him a reproachful look and a few well chosen words from Dumbledore and one more thing for that blasted boy to snigger over.

Harry grinned widely and Snape went blue in the face. 'Sir Professor Snape's not breathing, look.' Harry told Dumbledore innocently and grinned at Snape when Dumbledore turned to Snape in alarm.

'Will you shut up Potter? Dumbledore I am fine and I have told Potter about my family. I think he may have understood.' Snape finished with a sneer at Harry, who nodded and smiled back at Snape. The sneer vanished abruptly and a scowl replaced that.

Dumbledore looked at Harry's smiling face and Snape's scowling one and suddenly wanted to laugh very badly. He sent both of them away asking Snape to come and see him later and let out a huge guffaw the moment the doors closed behind Harry and Snape. Dumbledore was truly amused. Even if Harry was not his relative, he had the very best guardian there was; Snape may be rude and short with Harry, but Dumbledore knew he would die to protect Harry and that was all that mattered and who knew, he may even come to care for the child. After all he, Dumbledore already did.

---------------------

Harry and Snape left his office and walked down. Harry cast a privacy bubble. 'What should I tell everyone? I never asked you in between all the laughing.'

Snape rolled his eyes, actually rolled his eyes. Such human emotions from him, Harry thought in wonder before he shook himself and listened to Snape who was saying something. 'You may tell them the truth. I will not be able to conceal this from Lucius and others and I will pretend to dislike you more from now on, because if the Dark Lord comes and I have to go back, I would need to stay as far as I can from you. Otherwise, he will just ask me to bring you to him.'

Harry nodded. 'Don't be too mean. Give me detentions when I need to talk to you or you need to tell me something. I am going to write to Sirius and Remus right now and then I'll go and talk to Hermione. Speak to Dumbledore and arrange to be in his office when Sirius and Remus will come. This is _your_ chance to get a Patronus moment.'

Snape did not answer, but his eyes glittered and Harry knew wild horses and blast ended skewts would not keep Snape away from that meeting. 'Go write to them now; they will come by breakfast tomorrow.' Was all he said, before he turned towards the dungeons and Harry went to the library to seek out Hermione and Neville and tell them whom he was related to?

They were not in the library, and Harry took out his map and saw they were by the lake along with Draco, Pansy and Blaise. He put his map away and ran to the lake and hugged Hermione as she threw herself on him.

'Oh, Harry I have been so afraid. Whom have you been related to?' she asked him.

'Welcome to the family Hermione.' Harry told her smiling broadly. 'You are also related to Draco's mother. She is Sirius's cousin.' Draco looked a bit green at this information. 'Who are you related to? Us?' he asked hopefully. He did not mind Hermione, but he really did not want anyone to be related to him and if anyone must be related to a Malfoy, Draco felt Harry was best.

'No I am related to Snape. He was blue in the face Draco. I think he was fighting with Dumbledore that he made the potion wrong.' Harry rolled his eyes. 'Snape?' Hermione was sufficiently impressed and horrified, while Draco looked jealous. Harry had to be related to Snape of all people. Why not the Malfoys, he thought unreasonably. Malfoys were so much better and look whom he was to acknowledge as family apart from Hermione.

'Perhaps he did get the potion wrong. I think so too.' Draco told him sulkily.

'Hey! You are not feeling bad because Hermione's vaguely related to you are you?'

Draco shook his head, but turned a bit pink. Hermione giggled and laughed outright when Draco's face turned red from pink. 'Oh, Harry, Draco and Mr. Malfoy are related to the Creevys. You know Colin Creevy, the photo mad boy. That's who and Draco almost fainted when he heard that.'

Harry bit his lips to stop joining in Hermione's laughter. 'And you guys?'

'The Parkinson family is related to some dull 6th year girl and Zabini are related to two boys in 7th year.' she recited sadly, while Blaise shrugged unconcernedly. He was really not bothered like Draco and Pansy, really. What did it matter? It was not as if they would come and live with them. Not the end of the world, surely.

'Did he scold you badly?' Neville asked him. He had no relatives in the School and he was watching all this around him, rather impassively, only coming to life, when Harry told them, he was related to Snape.

Harry shook his head. 'Not really. He was shocked and he surely did not like it much I think. I am glad I have Sirius and Remus for me.' Harry told there and changed the topic. 'I will be writing to Sirius about Snape being related to me and also about you and Colin. Want to add anything?' he asked her as she shook her head, her eyes wide.

'No, just say I'm happy I'm related to him. That's all.'

_**End of Chapter – 22**_

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	23. Chapter 23

_**Thank you all of you who have read this story and to every one who has taken that extra minute to post a review. Thank you Anon, Harriverse**_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 23**_

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Harry and his friends went to the library where Harry wrote a short letter to Sirius and went to the Owlery to send it. He reached it and spotting Hedwig, petted her a bit and tied his letter and told her to take it to Sirius and Remus and walked back to the library, grinning and smirking in anticipation of the fireworks that Hogwarts would witness the next day.

He spent the rest of the day talking with Hermione and a very sulky Draco Malfoy was had already written to his father about his muggle relations. While Draco did not mind Hermione, he became livid with anger and horror as he thought of Colin Creevy. And the worst thing was the fact that both of them were Gryffindors. Why could he not be related to someone in Ravenclaw or Harry, if it had to be someone from Gryffindor?

Draco was very jealous indeed as he sat there fuming about the dirty fates; Snape! Harry was related to Snape of all people. Snape was nice and all that, but he was not in the Malfoy family league; but then the Malfoy family league had taken quite a beating, when Colin Creevy was added to their family.

Hogwarts was raging that day with purebloods dismayed with the extra baggage they had collected, almost all of them, pretty unhappy with their lot. The Slytherins and Ravenclaws were in particular displeased to see the muggleborns who were in Hogwarts and even a few who still had no magical children and still lived in the muggle world as muggles, without knowing they belonged to the magical world once upon a time, added to their family. It was so insulting they felt.

The parents and the press turned out the next day. Owls had been sent to all the parents informing them about the potion and also inviting them to the school so that they could see the result of the potion for themselves. The press headed by Rita Skeeter came gushing and eager to know all details and try and find if they could poke any holes into the whole thing.

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All the parents were ushered into the Great Hall and the teachers stood on either side of the Headmaster as parents, Ministry officials and reporters came eagerly and waited for Dumbledore to speak about the potion and the results. The Malfoys along with a lot of other pureblood families were there glaring at everyone and looking very displeased. Draco letter and its contents had reached Lucius, apparently. Two other people stormed in, looking furious as well. Sirius and Remus.

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That morning had started well for Sirius. He had woken up early, thinking about the potion results and had like so many others been planning to go over to Hogwarts to see the results being announced that day. He was hoping Harry would be related to him; that would make Harry officially his family. He thought of Harry as his family already, as the child he never had and perhaps may never have either and if Lily was related to the Blacks it would be nothing short of magnificent, really.

'What do you think Remus?' he asked the quiet man, who was making breakfast for them.

'About what?'

'About Lily's family, what else?' Sirius asked impatiently. 'Today's the day, we'll know.' Wistfully he added, 'Harry would've known yesterday. I hope he's related to me, Remy.' Sirius finished softly, longing in his eyes.

Remus smiled, but did not say anything. Sirius was simply thinking out aloud. Remus though thought differently. If he knew Harry, Remus felt that he would have himself related to some spectacular person, no one would have thought of. But he did not say it and allowed Sirius to dream.

They ate in silence afterwards and Sirius was just finishing the cleaning up when Hedwig sailed in through the window and landed on the table, holding her leg out. Remus had gone out of the kitchen and Sirius suddenly sat down very nervous and excited. He knew it was from Harry and he was so excited that he could not think straight for a second. Then, his hands trembling, Sirius slowly removed the letter and opened it.

_Dear Sirius and Remus,_

_I took my potion today and found out who Mum was related to. I am so happy Sirius that I am related to him, because he is so clever and intelligent. Yes, Sirius, you have got it right in one. It's Professor Snape._

_And Sirius, you won't believe who is related to you. It's Hermione and she wants to say she's happy about it too._

_See you guys in School tomorrow,_

_Harry_

Sirius looked at the short note in disbelief; it was a prank, surely; Sirius sat still for a second and then feverishly, he took out his wand and started casting many spells to check the authenticity of the note. It was unfortunately for Sirius very authentic and there seemed no spell that could tell him it was a prank. Sirius was stunned; stunned at the betrayal he was feeling with Lily. Sirius banged his head on the table and swore aloud; of all people in the whole wide world, Lily had to go and to be related to Snape. Snape! It had to be the snivelling git she was related to; and that was just too bad and completely unacceptable. And Harry was thrilled and happy? What was wrong with that boy? Sirius crumpled the note and threw it on the table. He had not even noticed Hermione being related to him and at that moment he would not have cared,

He gnashed his teeth and in a rage took a plate from the table and threw it against the wall. It smashed with a very satisfying sound and Sirius grit his teeth again and threw a few more plates at the wall. Snape would be unbearable. One thing Lily had never spoken to James or anyone for that matter had been her friendship with Snape. He knew James had been very curious and terribly jealous about it; and he had fumed about Snape for hours. Even after they were going out, Lily never spoke about Snape, and the first time James and all of them had laughed about Snape the death eater; she had looked stormily at James and strode off. James had to literally beg his way into her good graces and from then on, Snape was a word never spoken in her presence.

Though that had not stopped them from hexing him whenever they met him, Sirius grinned in a feral manner as he remembered; James had been wounded and very envious that Lily would not hear them joking about a death eater, and a stinking git in Sirius's opinion. In seventh year, their fights with Snape had been very fierce, though they took care to see that Lily never knew that they even met Snape outside of classes, let alone fought with him.

Snape had also not spoken a word about Lily to anyone in the School as far as Sirius knew, after they had broken up the night their OWLS had ended, all because Snape had called Lily a mudblood. Sirius grinned as he remembered that night; he and the others were underneath James's invisibility cloak, seeing the friendship that had given James so many sleepless nights come to an end. It was Snape's fault, for calling Lily a name she had hated with such intensity and James had rejoiced.

She had been awfully quiet for the rest of that year and all of sixth; burying into her schoolwork and hardly talking to others and becoming completely withdrawn. In their seventh year, James and Lily had been made Head Boy and Head Girl and their duties had thrown them together. Slowly James had managed to thaw the girl whom he had been hopelessly in love with and it had been after Christmas that they had had their first date. Sirius was lost in nostalgia, as he remembered the panic James had indulged in for a week, before that day when he would finally take Lily out.

Somehow from then that romance had grown in leaps and bounds. James had been thrilled and had lived with his head in the clouds and his feet not touching the ground for the rest of their school year. Then he had proposed and Lily had accepted at once and then that was that. They had got married and then had Harry and then, Sirius's eyes darkened as he remembered what happened next.

'Sirius, are you ready? Hey! What happened here? And why are you standing like this, when we should be leaving for Hogwarts?' Remus had just come in and was shocked to see plates smashed and in pieces and Sirius standing with such a vengeful expression on his face.

'Just read this Remy.'

'Wha, oh!' Remus saw the letter and smoothed the badly crumpled letter and started reading and his eyes widened in disbelief as he finished the short note.

'How?' he stammered. 'How can this be? Lily was related to Snape of all people? How?'

Sirius glared at Remus and scowled. 'I don't know. But I'm sure Snivellus has had something to do with this. Come on. Let's go and find out and Remus, I'm assuring you, I am going to make his face as greasy as his hair and DON"T ask me how. You watch Remy. Just see how I'm going to do this. I'm going to kill him; that's the best thing. I'll kill him and go to Azkaban and you take care of Harry.' Sirius shouted, his rage overtaking him once more.

'Sirius, have you become insane. Stop this nonsense at once.' Remus shouted, shaking Sirius and shocking him out of his helpless rage.

'Huh! What the hell?' Sirius glared at Remus who was looking very worried.

'Sirius, CALM down. Were going to Hogwarts anyway and we'll see there, okay. Just don't get yourself into knots and hurt Harry, for heaven' sake. That'll do us no good. Harry says he likes Snape. Tread carefully old boy, and don't lose Harry because of your anger.' Remus told him, trying to put some sense into Sirius, who was looking wild and his eyes were furious as he heard Remus reason it out.

'If James had been alive…' Sirius stopped there and looked at Remus.

That was the point. James would not have accepted this at all. Both friends knew that. Sirius and Remus knew was that, James was terribly jealous of Snape, who in his opinion, was still protected by Lily. That was something he could not stand, and his hate jealousy of Snape, had never diminished. This was something Harry had not known, because James and Sirius had never discussed Snape in any capacity except to degrade him in front of Harry in the other life.

Now Sirius felt that he was letting his friend's and his brother in every way's memory by even thinking of Snape as Harry's relation. He knew how devastated James would be, if he, Sirius was feeling this way. Along with his anger was also a deep disappointment that ripped his gut. Harry was not related to the Blacks. He would be only Sirius's Godson and not his blood relative. Sirius felt like changing into Padfoot and howling loud and long and then rushing off to bite Snape's nose off his face. For a moment, Sirius pictured Snape without a nose and grinned, alarming Remus who was watching the emotions fly across his friend's face.

Sirius looked at Remus and shook his head. 'Come on. We have to go.' And looking down at the note, he finally registered something that had been written. 'Sirius, Hermione is related to you. Did you read that at all?'

'What? Where? Has Harry written that as well?' Sirius held out his hand for the note and Remus rolled his eyes and handed it over. Sirius re-read the letter and smiled slightly before he frowned again. But he was more or less calm now.

Remus was apprehensive now and he looked at Sirius, who had apparently calmed down and sighed. He wondered what would happen at the School. He only hoped Sirius would not say the wrong words and push Harry away. He turned to Sirius as they walked to the fireplace, intending to floo to The Three Broomsticks and walk from there. He did not say a word, knowing his friend well; it would only make him more stubborn.

Remus was shocked himself; but he could deal with it. If Snape was really Harry's blood relative and Harry was happy as he had said so in the letter, Remus could and would accept it. He only hoped Sirius would see sense. This was not something Harry or even Snape chose and to snarl and smash things would not help; it would only make Harry move away. Remus sincerely hoped that would not be the case. That would break Sirius and he would not want it either. He sighed as he threw the floo powder and stepped into it.

They stepped out of the floo and joined a large number of parents walking to the School, talking excitedly among themselves. Sirius and Remus walked fast in grim silence and soon reached the gates of the School and jostled along with the others and entered the Great Hall, Sirius sweeping his eyes over to the Head Table and snarling, startling a couple who looked at him in fear and tried to move away.

Remus placed a calming hand on Sirius, warning him by pressing his hand slightly and Sirius reluctantly subsided, and contended himself with simply glaring at Snape, who was talking to Dumbledore.

---------------------

At the appointed time Dumbledore straightened and turned a beaming face towards the eager, anxious and angry parents and expectant news reporters and disbelieving Ministry representatives. 'Welcome parents. Yesterday was truly a remarkable day in our world. We have with the assistance of the Potions Master Severus Snape who is also the Head of Slytherin House; prepared the Ancestry potion that has revealed the magical relation of every muggle born student. The Ancestry Potion which is extremely expensive to brew was made possible by the contributions our students and teachers. Harry Potter contributed the most and it was his idea that has come to fruition today. He had some time last year read an article about this and acting upon it, requested Professor Snape to brew the potion for him and the rest as they say is history.' Dumbledore beamed as he looked around, and his twinkle increased as he saw the two glowering faces in the crowd.

'Yesterday the potion was administered to all out muggleborn and half blood students all of them had a wizarding family in their ancestors who for one reason or other had moved to the muggle world and made it their home, completely forgetting the world that they had once been a part of. All the students have been provided with a copy of their ancestry and we will hand over another copy to the Ministry of Magic. Here in the Great Hall, the Professors have also posted lists for everyone to see the names of the students tested and the wizarding families to which they have been found to have belonged to at one time. Lists are posted all over the Great Hall and all of you may take your time to peruse it. Thank you.'

Dumbledore beamed as the parents moved to the lists which were posted all around the Great Hall, except two of them who were determinedly moving towards the Head Table. Sirius and Remus were pushing through the crowds and walking as swiftly as they could towards Dumbledore who was beaming at them, inwardly laughing at their expressions. Sirius looked so fierce and Remus looked very worried. Dumbledore turned to his side to see Snape smirking at them and noticing Dumbledore watching him, he raised his eyebrow, and 'I would like to sit in on this Dumbledore, when they would speak to you about my relative.' He said softly.

Dumbledore stared at Snape. Snape wanted to see Sirius and Remus livid, furious and helpless, he could understand that; but was he just acknowledging Harry as his relative? Lily as his relative? Dumbledore was absolutely stunned and it was with great effort that he refrained from saying anything and nodded his head. All the others in the Great Hall were now looking eagerly at the lists and talking hard. Certain pure bloods like the Malfoys, Parkinsons and others looked disdainfully at the rest, and Lucius Malfoy looked at the Head Table and caught Snape's eye and nodded.

'Lucius is calling me Dumbledore. I will meet him and come to your office later and I will bring Potter with me.' Snape murmured softly and started walking down, waiting only for Dumbledore to slightly incline his head in agreement, before he stepped down to meet the parents and talk to them. All the Professors were there moving around and Dumbledore met with the Ministry officials and the reporters who caught on to him and answered questions with his own inimitable style. Meanwhile Snape had just stepped out of the crowded hall and met Lucius who was standing there.

'Severus.' Lucius said softly, 'How are you?' He asked with a mild sneer and his lips curled in disdain. 'I am fine Lucius. How are you and Narcissa? Is she well? You did not bring her?' he asked. Lucius shook his head in silence and walked a little further away, leading Snape away from the Great Hall.

Snape smiled as he followed Lucius, his eyes slightly amused as he thought of just who was related to Lucius Malfoy. Snape himself was very much confused about his being related to Lily. He had wanted to be related of course but not like this! Still, Snape thought a tad morosely, it was probably better than nothing else. He wondered what Harry was not telling him. Something to do with him and Lily, he knew. What had Lily actually said when she had known? If Snape knew, then he would feel so much better, even if she did not like it very much, because it would only show that she was still angry with him for not choosing her and instead going out with the death eaters.

'Severus? You are miles away?' Lucius's voice brought him down to earth. He mentally shook himself and smiled at Lucius. 'Yes, I was. What a mess inside the Great Hall, isn't there?'

Lucius Malfoy snarled. 'Whatever made you do this Severus? Did you make it right my friend?' at Snape's face turning indignant, Lucius smiled humourlessly, his eyes very frustrated, 'Severus, do you know whom I am related to? If you do, then surely you will not look at me so.'

'And do you know whom I am related to Lucius? Harry Potter of all people in the whole wide world, when I knew, I almost fainted.' Snape let bitterness glaze his tone. 'Harry bloody Potter, that's who, and I was wondering if I had made the potion properly myself, but I did Lucius, very much so.'

Lucius Malfoy sighed at the bitterness in Snape's voice. He would have loved to be related to Harry Potter. That would have worked for him, if the Dark Lord would return or if he did not, but Snape was probably thinking about only James Potter and was already hating Harry Potter and being related to him, even when he had a crush on Lily. But Snape was perfectly capable of accepting Lily and discarding Harry as a good Slytherin would, Lucius knew. A small smile found its way out for the first time after he received Draco's note today morning.

'What did Dumbledore say?' Lucius asked curious.

Snape growled. 'The loon that he is, he had the nerve to say I had family now. Family! And family was James Potter's son of all people. What a joke! As if I would accept him as a Prince. I told him that I would never accept the son of my enemy as family and Potter both senior and junior could go to hell. Dumbledore sighed and hummed and hawed in resignation, but I think he'll let me be.' Snape finished with pride and satisfaction in his voice. Lucius snorted in sheer exasperation.

'Severus, you are amazing. What would you have done, if the blasted Creevys were related to you? You are lucky it was only Potter. I wish Potter had been related to the Malfoys. It would have worked well for me.'

Snape darted a swift glance at Lucius and retained his expressionless face, though he was snorting inside too. Lucius would have preened with Harry now and if the Dark Lord returned, Snape knew he would not have hesitated to hand over Harry to the Dark Lord too. He looked at Lucius and said very softly 'I have to go and meet Dumbledore. The number of times he calls me; sometimes I feel he still doubts me after all the trouble I have taken to tell him I have well and truly changed.'

'Shh! We can never be too careful, Severus.' He replied in a low voice. Snape nodded and shook his hands with Lucius and walked away from the man and went towards the Headmaster's office. Lucius turned back to leave for his home. As if he would stay to meet the Creepys or whatever their names were. He had no relations apart from those he was willing to acknowledge and for him that was enough. He wanted no more relations, especially not those who were muggleborns.

Suddenly another thought came to him and he turned and almost ran back. 'Severus!' he called as Snape was just beginning to climb the stairs. Snape turned and walked back to where Lucius was coming swiftly towards him.

'I don't want to go back into the mess that is the Great Hall and meet the Creepys.' Snape grinned at that name, but did not correct Lucius as he was looking very peeved every time he thought of the Creevys, apparently. 'But I would like to know if Bellatrix is related to some muggleborn. Narcissa would feel happy.' He finished.

'Oh! Dear Bellatrix is related very much to a muggleborn. Remember Potter's friend Hermione Granger; well she is related to Black and Bellatrix and Narcissa as well.'

Lucius scowled and nodding to Snape left Hogwarts and Snape turned around and walked towards the Headmaster's office, snapping for an elf as he turned the corner and away from Lucius's eyes. 'Ask Harry Potter to come at once to the Headmaster's office.' He told the elf and walked on briskly thinking about Lucius and the upcoming scene with Sirius and Remus. He reached the gargoyle and waited for Harry to come. Harry came running and screeched to a halt and was about to say something, when Snape's eyes warned him to stay silent. Harry smiled at Snape and stood by his side.

'Cockroach clusters.' Snape said sourly and led the way inside and silently pointed out a chair for Harry to sit and took the chair next to Harry.

---------------------

Sirius and Remus pushed and jostled their way to Dumbledore and waited to speak to him. Dumbledore noticed them and smiled at them but was not able to tear away for sometime. 'Dumbledore…' Sirius started and Dumbledore smiled at him. 'Not now Sirius. I am busy answering reporters and will meet you later in my office. Perhaps you will wait by the gargoyle and I will come as soon as possible.' He said and turned away.

Sirius stared at him for a second before he felt he was walking backwards and realized Remus was dragging him and he turned reluctantly and left for the Headmaster's office and waited there impatiently for Dumbledore to come. They did not know the password and so they were unable to join Snape and Harry who were already seated in the office. Sirius and Remus sat down by the gargoyle and waited.

--------------------

Dumbledore spent the whole day answering questions, noting that Snape had not come back. Hermione Granger was searching for Harry and also for Sirius, perhaps; both of them were not anywhere in the Great Hall and Dumbledore was impatient to join them and see the fireworks especially when Snape would call Harry his relative and Sirius would splutter and foam at the mouth with rage. He however, moved around answering questions from one and all, with a wide smile on his face. It was almost afternoon before the bulk of the parents left Hogwarts, with the parchments they were given by their children and the pureblood families left as well; some of them happily chatting with their new found blood relations and others completely ignoring their long last muggleborn relatives.

Finally Dumbledore was free and he left for his office to see Sirius and Remus sitting by the gargoyle. He smiled and called out to them. 'Sirius, Remus, how are you? Come,' he added seeing Sirius open his mouth, 'let us go to my office and discuss whatever you wish to ask me.' And led the way silently.

Sirius and Remus followed and Dumbledore opened the door, to see Snape and Harry sitting silently. Snape was sitting next to Harry. Sirius who came next saw them and gave a strangled cry and took out his wand. Snape heard the noise and stood up so fast Harry was astounded at his reflexes. Snape quickly flicked his wand, silently just in time as Sirius flicked his wand equally silently. A flash of red burst from Sirius's wand and hit the shield Snape had thrown up, the moment he heard the noise and rebounded and hit Sirius. A second later, Sirius was hanging upside down, his robes falling down his shoulders. He was shouting, but only muffled sounds could be heard in the silence as Harry, Dumbledore and Remus looked on in astonishment and Snape was smirking.

'Severus. Please let Sirius down.' Dumbledore told him a minute later and Snape flicked his wand again and Sirius fell on the ground. He got up a bit unsteadily and struggled with his robes and glared at Snape, his wand held high. Snape was ready too and Harry sighed and came and stood between Snape and Sirius.

'Harry, you are not to come between us. I will not allow you to be hurt by that thing. Move.' Snape told Harry smoothly, his black eyes glittering in laughter. Harry scowled and then sighed once again. Snape was taking it too far; but Harry could not blame him; it was his fault, he had actually given Snape the idea the day before.

'Please Professor Snape. Sirius meant no harm. Please don't attack him.' Harry told him, pleading all the while with his eyes. Snape looked into Harry's eyes and stepped back, his shield still in place and his wand still held alertly, ready for anything.

'He can't attack me Harry. You just step back and I'll show you how it's done.' Sirius told him, his eyes hungry to hex Snape.

'How it's done? But for that you are missing two of your group, Black.' Snape told him his voice still smooth, but now with a very dangerous undercurrent.

Sirius leaped and was caught by Remus who pulled him back and Dumbledore who clapped his hand loudly. 'There is a child here and I think none of you are setting an example to him. Come, come and sit down and let us discuss this like adults.'

Sirius reluctantly obeyed the power in Dumbledore's voice and sat down. Harry went to sit with Sirius, but Snape pulled him back and silently gestured to a chair next to him. Sirius was about to say something, but Dumbledore cleared his throat and he subsided, and glared at Snape.

'Has this potion been brewed properly?'

'Yes indeed, Sirius. It has been. I have complete faith in Severus's potion making skills.'

Sirius was silent, not knowing how to proceed. Harry took matters into his hand and spoke softly. 'Sirius I am happy I am related to Professor Snape. You know I admire him so. You do not wish for that? Then it is no problem. I will not talk to Professor Snape outside of Potions okay?'

Sirius looked up at that, stunned at what Harry was saying. Harry would give up his relationship to Snape for Sirius's sake? He opened his mouth to agree and Remus's warning came to his mind. If he agreed Harry would obey, but it would hurt Harry and Sirius stopped the words that wanted to rush out and sighed, running his hand through his hair.

'Is this potion really brewed properly Albus?' he asked again, not knowing what to say.

Dumbledore nodded, not saying a word. Sirius sighed again and turned to Snape. 'Hurt him and I'll kill you and go back to Azkaban. That's a promise.' He said very softly and extremely menacingly and stood up. 'Harry, we are not friends. I think you know that by now. But I'll not stop you from interacting with Snape, if he wants it and if you want it too.'

Harry ran from his chair and hugged Sirius, very relived and moved that Sirius would give in like this. It showed how much he cared for Harry, once again and Harry felt very warm inside indeed. Snape had not uttered a word and simply looked on his face inscrutable. Dumbledore was beaming at Sirius's words and Remus was smiling looking very relieved.

_**End of Chapter – 23**_

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	24. Chapter 24

_**Thank you all of you who have read this story so far and to everyone of you, who took that extra minute to review. Thank you, Harriverse, eh, vyperr, raion and Raine**_

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

_**-----------------------------------------------**_

_**Chapter – 24**_

_**-----------------**_

Sirius stormed back to Grimmauld Place, followed by Remus and threw himself on a chair and stared moodily in front of him. 'Why?' he asked Remus who had come in behind him and sat down opposite Sirius. Why, Remus thought as he looked at his friend, who was staring at him as if he would provide all the answers. It had taken an awful lot from Sirius to make that admission for Harry's sake, and Remus was very proud of him, but he knew the fight was far from over. Sirius had just taken a step backwards. But Remus knew he would at every given opportunity try to make Harry aware of just evil he thought Snape was.

'Why what Sirius? Why does Harry admire Snape?' Remus asked him and frowned as Sirius snarled at Remus.

'Must you keep reminding me of that? I am sure Snape is doing this for spite Remy. Perhaps he had given Harry a potion or something and it has addled Harry's brains. That must be why Harry likes Snape. I am sure.' Sirius jumped up and looked at Remus wildly, as if asking confirmation about his suspicions.

'Sit down Sirius.' Remus frowned more as Sirius started pacing the floor up and down in agitation. 'Sit down Sirius. I said sit down.' 

"Why?' Sirius asked him as he sat down in a show of violence that almost rocked the chair backwards. 

'Harry likes Snape. More than likes I think he admires him. More important than that Sirius, is the fact Harry loves you and does not want to hurt you. He was prepared to stop interacting with Snape when he realized you were more than unhappy with it.'

'What can I do Remy? When I think of that snivelling git and Harry, I just can't help but feel I have let James and Lily down.' Sirius almost shouted in frustration.

'Letting James down is one thing, even then I don't think I'll agree. I think Harry would have wanted to be close to Snape, even if James was alive, and then I think he would be a lot more stubborn about it. But Lily? Lily would have been happy Sirius. You know it and I know it.'

'And James would have felt terrible.' Sirius finished heavily. That thought had been hounding him since he had received the letter. 

Remus had no answer to that. he knew James would feel more than terrible, but then Remus was practical; whether it was his werewolf side, that made him see things in a less frenzied and emotional manner or was he the way he was naturally he did not know; but he knew Harry liked Snape. Perhaps that was all Lily that Harry was reflecting. Whatever it was, Remus knew it would hurt Harry badly to force him to stop being friendly with Snape. 

'I hope James will understand.' He said after a long pause. 'For Harry's sake.'

Sirius looked up at Remus, but did not say a word. After some more silence, 'Let him just put one step out of place and I'll kill him; simply kill him.' Sirius told him, his eyes still furious.

'Who? Harry?' Remus asked amused at his friend's petulance. While he understood what Sirius was feeling, he also understood that Harry had a mind of his own and he for what ever reason, wanted to establish a relationship with Snape. While he did not know why Harry should feel for Snape, who was certainly not very friendly towards Harry, Remus could not but respect Harry's strange and baffling decision to acknowledge Snape and admire him openly.

'Of course not.' Sirius looked irritably at his friend who was laughing. 'Go ahead and laugh. But I tell you there is something about this I just don't understand. Snape of all people. And how could Harry be so happy?'

'Sirius, I am not going to spend the rest of my day sitting here, trying to make sense of why a kid likes and admires Snape. I am happy he likes us and for you he would even stop being friends with Snape. That's enough for me and it should be for you too. Don't fuss.'

'Remy, Harry would do it for you too; he loves you.' Sirius told him earnestly and Remus laughed and stood up. Sirius too got up reluctantly, pulling a half smile on his face with difficulty as they attended to their other jobs.

------------------------

Lucius Malfoy went to his Manor after he left Snape. Narcissa was waiting for him anxiously. 'Lucius!' she called when she saw him, get out of the carriage and went outside to meet him, observing him all the time. Lucius was looking normal and Narcissa breathed a sigh of relief. He could get nasty when he was angry or very worried and she was very grateful that this news had not shaken him up.

They did have company among the other death eaters who also had muggleborn relatives, but it could still cause problems if they were related to someone that could prove to be a problem later on. Narcissa had been hoping along with Lucius, that they would not have any relatives among the students and if they did, it would be someone they could accept. When Lucius had received Draco's letter, he had been shocked as she had been; he had not written about Hermione Granger, only that some muggleborn called Colin Creevy who was sorted into Gryffindor of all Houses was related to the Malfoys. Draco had sounded so desperate and horrified, that Narcissa knew that this Creevy was not the Malfoy standard among the muggles.

Lucius had come to her, leaned in and kissed her briefly, before following her inside. Narcissa did not speak as she led the way inside. The Manor was opulently furnished and Lucius followed Narcissa to the library and from that into their study, which had all kinds of wards and charms in place. Lucius had nothing to discuss of that nature, but Narcissa apparently did not want to take chances. The study in contrast to the otherwise opulent home was very simple almost stark in comparison. The whole room was full of books, with a biggish table in the centre and a few comfortable chairs placed in such a way that showed they were meant for serious discussions.

'How are they?' Narcissa asked him, abruptly.

'Pathetic!' he replied, shaking his head in utter contempt for the Creevys. 'I would not keep then as slaves really. Why did my forefathers not kill the bloody squib?' 

Narcissa smiled at the frustration in his voice. He saw her smile and scowled. 'Don't smile Cissy. You have not seen them. They are…' Lucius shuddered. Words failed him, really. What could he say about the exuberant family he had glimpsed? Lucius shuddered again. The Malfoys did not even know to show that kind of cheer, and they were related to someone, who literally bounced up and down and caught the sun in their teeth. If this were old times a crucio would not be out of place for all members of that family.

He told Narcissa everything, 'And you and Bellatrix are related to Potter's friend. Her name is Hermione Granger and Evans, Potter's mother is related to Severus.'

'What?' Narcissa was shocked as she looked at her husband. He nodded. 'Yes, Severus is related to Lily Evans. He was very bitter about it; that man and his hatred for James Potter sometimes amuses me; what I would not have given Cissy to be related to Harry Potter? It would have worked well for us. But he is related to Severus and that foolish man is bitter, can you imagine, bitter about it love.'

Narcissa nodded her head as she looked at Lucius thoughtfully. 'Yes I can imagine. Severus was so jealous that she chose Potter over him. And she told him off in front of the whole House and never spoke to him again. He loved her for a while, but later, became very bitter about her choosing James. Didn't he ask our Lord to spare her?'

'Yes, but I doubt the Dark Lord would grant favours like that Cissy. Severus must be thankful he was not crucioed to death for asking. He was in a good mood that day. The spy, whom we wrongly thought was your great Cousin Black, had brought him good news, I remember. But it was not Black but the mouse Peter. That was a shock let me tell you; I never expected that boy to be a death eater and a spy for us in the Order. I thought he could not hold his wand properly.'

Narcissa smiled. 'I was shocked too, when I came to know that the spy was Sirius. I never expected that from him and that too betray Potter of all people; Peter seems more believable for me more than Sirius; Sirius adored James and thought of him as his brother more than Regulus actually.' She smiled and leaned on him.

They sat in silence for sometime, before they went about their normal routine, deciding to forget by common consent the Creevy family and Hermione Granger.

------------------------

The Daily Prophet made the Ancestry potion its headlines in its evening paper

_ANCESTRY POTION REVEALS THERE IS NO MUGGLEBORN, ONLY PUREBLOODS AND HALF BLOODS was the main the title;_

_Yesterday's sensational news was the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry spearheaded by its Potions Professor and Head of Slytherin House, brewed the most expensive Ancestry Potion for all its muggleborn students. And every muggleborn student found themselves related to a wizarding family._

_The words muggleborn has been erased forever yesterday because of this potion. All the teachers as well as many students contributed to the making of the potion to meet its cost and after almost six continuous months of everyday brewing and attending to the potion; the potion was declared completed and ready to be administered. Yesterday it was given to all students who were muggleborn or had a muggleborn parent and it was found that every student including the Boy-Who-Lived had wizarding relatives._

_The Boy-Who-Lived is related to a man who was tried for death eater crimes during the war. Severus Snape, Potions Professor and present Head of Slytherin House. He was found not guilty of his crimes, but this reporter wonders if the Boy-Who-Lived's guardians would allow him to mingle with a man who has the mark._

_This sensational news about the Ancestry Potion has rocked the Wizarding World and has turned it on its head. While Dumbledore the Headmaster of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry assures all of us about the integrity of the potion as such; perhaps, an independent study should be conducted by the Ministry so that the results that have been pronounced are indeed valid._

_There are a lot of pure bloods who are unhappy indeed at the results shown. We spoke to Lucius Malfoy at his Wiltshire Manor. He appeared very relaxed with no dissatisfaction with the actual brewing of the potion. _

'_I really do not think there is any mistake in the brewing of the potion. The potion was brewed by the best potion master in all of wizarding Britain. There can be no doubt in my mind about that. Severus is also a good friend. But he is not the one who is the supreme authority at Hogwarts. That position belongs to Dumbledore who did not invite anyone when the potion was actually administered. I would like the Ministry of Magic to come forward and repeat this exercise so that no one is left in any doubt, whatsoever.'_

_Mr. Malfoy refused to comment on the fact that muggleborns were no longer outsiders, but a cruel testimony to what the wizarding families had done to those not blessed enough to be magical._

_This reporter tried to get Dumbledore's version to make it fair and present both sides of the issue, but the Headmaster was simply not available for comment, making one wonder if indeed he has tried to manipulate the results of the potion. As I am finishing this article, I have received information that the Ministry of Magic will indeed brew the Ancestry potion and administer it to all muggleborns and half bloods who have a muggleborn parent. This will ensure that the potion at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has been administered properly._

_Rita Skeeter_

---------------------------

**After Sirius and Remus left Dumbledore's office…**

Harry skipped to the common room after his meeting with Sirius, Remus and Snape. The fact Sirius was willing to accept Snape on some level for him made him feel very nice inside. Hermione and Neville were inside, waiting anxiously for Harry. 

'Harry, Sirius never met me. And why did it take you so long? He's…; he's okay with me being his relative and all that isn't he?' She asked him, just a little apprehensive and also a little hurt. 

'Of course Hermione. Sirius was planning to meet you, but it got late and he told me to tell you, he would write to you later, and also arrange to meet with your Mum and Dad. He told me to tell you he's very happy you are family.' Harry beamed, hoping that she would be reassured by that. She was. She beamed back.

'Okay. I'll write a short note to him, shall I?' she asked him.

'Sure. That would be fantastic. Write your letter and we'll send it off to Sirius. I'll write one too.' Harry told her and then the topic changed to the potion.

'The Ministry has announced that they are going to brew this potion for all muggleborns and half-bloods, who have muggle born parents.' Hermione explained.

'That would be great.' Harry beamed. 

And they chattered about the various relations that the purebloods had thrust upon them, and the fact that almost all of them were very unhappy with their long lost relatives, whom they had thrown out of their families in the first place.

The Wizarding World was rocked upside down, as the next few days went by in a spate of discussions and Ministry of Magic announcements about the Potion that the Ministry was planning to brew for everyone. The fact muggleborns would not longer be an issue with the purebloods was the most important thing they discussed.

The Malfoys, Bulstrodes, the Parkinsons, Zabinis, Goyles, Crabbes, Nott and other Slytherin pureblood families were very unhappy about knowing they had relations among the muggles. They did not want to acknowledge the fact that they had muggle relations who were magical and they also did not want to recognize that they had in their family, squibs that could no longer be ignored, because their descendents had re-integrated into the magical world again.

Slowly the School settled and though potions, magical relatives and the discussion of the fact that the word muggleborn was no longer an issue, crept up from time to time, the days went on normally.

Hermione wrote to Sirius, who wrote back warmly to her, apologizing fro not meeting her and invited her with her family to Grimmauld Place in the holidays. Draco sulked magnificently for a while, and then never looked at Colin Creevy again. Colin, after he knew his magical relations were the Malfoys went out of his way to smile and be friendly to Draco, but that unfortunately only got on Draco's nerves. 

He also did not like Colin taking photographs of him and Colin took photos of whom he called his relative and clicked away when ever he could. When Draco shouted at him once, unable to keep in his anger and frustration, Colin beamed and told him that he was sending these photos to his parents and also invited Draco and his parents to spend summer at his muggle home and also promised to write to Lucius and Narcissa as well. Draco blanched in horror and did not answer. He avoided Colin like the plague after that.

The days went by pleasantly; Harry enjoyed himself thoroughly, participating in the discussions as much as he could. He met with Snape in what was officially his detention and spoke to him, teased him a bit; not too much, this was Snape after all, but riled him up a little and generally got on Snape's nerves before he left.

The Ministry had already sanctioned a huge amount of money to brew the potion for every one who was a muggleborn or a half blood with a muggleborn parent. The brewing would start shortly and already people were accepting the no muggleborn theory.

The second year slowly came to an end. Spring holidays came and went and this time Harry went to Grimmauld Place, inviting Hermione, Neville and Draco. Draco had been hesitant at first, but had later asked for permission from his parents and having received it, came to Grimmauld Place. He was quiet the first two days, watching Remus and Sirius and also Hermione's parents who came to meet with Sirius. A few days later, he settled down and had a lot of fun, though he would never admit it. He also spoke to Mrs. Black the first day he came and she wept buckets over Draco and talked pureblood superiority to him. 

After the first five minutes of hearing the greatness of the Blacks, Draco was thoroughly bored. He kept the politeness and nodded a few times and then, left all pretence and yawned continuously until she sent dear Narcissa's boy away to rest, because he was so tired. She told him to come and see her everyday and from then onwards Draco was the quietest when crossing the portraits. If anyone would by chance trip off something and wake her up, Draco would run and hide.

Neville and Hermione enjoyed themselves and Harry did not invite the Weasleys that time. He decided to do so in the summer. Once spring break was over, they left for Hogwarts. Sirius was more or less reconciled to the fact his Godson was never going to listen to him about a few things, like Slytherin, Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape. He had tried his best to talk down Snape whenever the subject came up, but Harry always avoided it neatly, twisting and turning Sirius's words to admiration.

Second year came to a close, with no more drama and no tense situations. Lockhart was still safely in the School and Harry had been wondering about this, when he read in the Daily Prophet some two weeks after School closed, that in a great fight against an innocuous man by name Smith, Lockhart had lost his memory. This Smith had escaped and there was a search on, for him. He was never found.

Harry snorted as he read this. More like Lockhart had tried to take that man's memories and oblivate him, when he got oblivated himself. So that part had worked out once again, though in a different manner. Harry was pensive for a few days and then he shrugged it off. There was nothing he could do about it.

He had a great holiday, visiting Hermione and Neville for a week, and inviting them and Draco for a couple of weeks, where they went to Diagon Alley every day and browsed through the shops. After Draco left, Harry invited Ron and the Twins and had a rollicking time. Second year holidays came to a close without Aunt Marge, Minister Fudge or the Knight's Bus.

It was time for third year and Harry would leave in a week.

--------------------

The wholly magical island of Azkaban is situated in the cold North Sea, where the climate is terribly cold, stormy and windy. The island itself is bare and rocky, bleak and exhibits an aura of severe unhappiness and darkness. There is a prison on the island which is under the control of the Ministry of Magic. The prisoners in that dreadful prison go quietly mad after sometime, unable to relive their worst memories all the time. The prison was guarded by dementors.

The Inner Circle death eaters as well as other prisoners were all imprisoned in this dreary place with no chance of seeing the light. After a while they lost themselves in their worst memories and then lost their minds. There were a few exceptions to the rule, though. Sirius Black was one of them, who did not lose his mind, because he was innocent of his crimes and he was an animagus, turning into his animagus form, whenever it all got a bit too much for him.

Bellatrix was another death eater with an animagus form and she used it like Sirius whenever it all got a bit too much for her. Her animagus form was a snake, a deadly viper. She changed into a snake whenever the dementors came too close to her and retained a part of her sanity even after spending almost twelve years in Azkaban. But she was fed up, and she somehow wanted to escape and search out her Lord and bring him back to life again.

She planned to escape, but executing the plan was not so easy. The dementors overwhelmed her and it was all she could do to keep her mind in their presence. Occlumency helped to an extent, but it still wasn't enough. But Bellatrix was not Voldemort most feared death eater and his foremost trusted follower for nothing. She waited for almost 12 years, intending to break out of Azkaban biding her chance.

Her chance came one day when a dementor came to keep the food. She usually turned into her animagus form when it did come, because the effects would be dulled. She was trying to shut down her mind even as a snake, when the dementor turned towards some noise from the next cell. That time was enough for Bellatrix and she slithered out, her heart beating wildly in her chest and hoping against hope that she would not be discovered until she truly escaped.

She went slowly; it was very dark and she could barely see, and think. But she went on for what seemed hours, before she came to the door of the great prison. It was stormy outside and she slithered out through a largish crack between the door and the wall. She was outside the prison. She slithered slowly, very tired but not daring to stop, until she was out of this hell hole.

The heavens were pouring down and the winds were raging, the noise they made together was terrifying, but Bellatrix went on, until she reached the turbulent sea. She went this way and that until she noticed a boat house. Then she went to the boat house that was well warded. Next to the boat house was a small cottage. The auror in charge of the boat house lived there. Bellatrix went slowly, very slowly, because her strength was all but exhausted, and slithered carefully to the cottage that was not more than a room, to shelter the auror from the storm, rain and the wind and looked around to gain entry from somewhere. The cottage was closed securely and the auror was inside.

There was nothing she could do and there was no way she could enter the cottage and she waited for him to open the door, hiding in a dark place, so that she would not be found out. It was a few hours later that the auror opened the door to leave, his wand at the ready, and cautiously peeped out and Bellatrix wasted no time. She slithered in as fast as she could, and hid behind a cupboard, completely exhausted. 

The auror came back a few hours later and went about his work. Bellatrix stayed where she was behind the smelly cupboard, watching him all the while. She waited until he went to sleep, not knowing that the dementors had already found out her disappearance and that there was a manhunt being ordered for her at that very time by the Ministry. 

She went up to him and using all her strength, changed back, and took his wand that was on the table next to him and she woke him up. The auror got up startled and before he could make a noise, she pointed his wand on him and spoke, her voice all rusty and hoarse from disuse and screaming, '_Imperio_!' 

His eyes glazed over and she smiled tiredly, but victoriously. 'What is the way to get out of here safely? Answer me.' She ordered, wasting no time and getting to the point.

'There is the boat that is spelled to reach the mainland.' He said, still under the spell.

'How long will it take?' she asked.

'A few hours. I really don't know how many exactly.' He replied.

'Who has the authority to open the boathouse and release the boat?' she asked him next, praying that it would be him. It was.

'I have.' He said.

'You will release that boat for me and then come back here and forget all about it. Come.' She said and watched him walk out. She followed him, casting a disillusionment charm upon herself, and slipped in to the boathouse behind the auror. She waited impatiently as he stood there, by the boat, blankly, until she realized he had no wand to cast the release spell on the boat. She took a deep breath and cast the _imperio_ again on him. 'You will take this wand, release the boat and return the wand to me and then go back to your cottage and forget all about me. You will also say, that your wand was lost in the storm, the wind carrying it away from your hand and get a new one.'

And her heart in her mouth, she handed over the wand to the auror. But the _imperio_ held and auror followed her instructions to the book and handed over the wand to her and turned to leave. Bellatrix wasted no more time and she got into the small boat, which was very sturdy, though and cast a notice-me-not charm at the whole boat. It took her a few tries to get the whole boat and herself under the charm, but she managed and heaved a sigh of relief as the boat set off without any alarms going off.

She lay down in the boat completely exhausted for sometime and then slowly got up to check the navigation dials of the small boat. They were set for the Ministry of Magic magical harbour in Scotland. Alarmed, she started working through the wards to see if she could change it, but with her mental state and her physical tiredness not to mention exhaustion, she soon gave it up as a bad job, and conjuring a clock and setting an alarm to go off after a couple of hours, Bellatrix went to sleep.

She woke up when the alarm screeched and looked around wildly, firing a few curses, but she was still at sea and safe. Her heart stopped beating wildly with fear and she slowly calmed down, and breathed deeply her first taste of freedom in almost 13 years. Even as a fugitive who could be captured any moment, this freedom was very sweet to her. She made a vow to herself that she would rather be killed than be captured once again and placed into Azkaban, where this time she would surely be kissed. 

She was beginning to feel hungry, she realized, but there was nothing in that small boat and she conjured a hot cp of tea and some sandwiches and slowly ate them. She could not manage more than a few bites and a few sips of tea, but even that was wonderful to her and as she banished the tea and sandwiches, she knew what she had missed the most. Her wand. Her wand was broken by the Ministry and they would pay for that, she thought darkly, as she remembered how the aurors laughed as they broke her wand. 

But, she smirked; they could not break her sprit, her loyalty or her devotion to her Lord. And they never would. She had started on her mission to resurrect her Master and together they would destroy all those who were not worthy of her Master, starting with Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter. Her lips curled in contempt, rage and hatred. They would all pay. 

She lost herself in memories of the past, and it was a while before she came back to the present. She looked around, but she was still at sea, the storm had subsided and she had not even noticed that the boat had stopped shaking violently. If it weren't for the strong charms and wards, the boat would have capsized within minutes. But with magic, Bellatrix thought, most impossible things were possible. Like bringing back her Lord from a place, that no one usually returned.

She got up and started applying the disillusionment charms on the boat, and on herself and sat down, ready to transform into a snake and slither away, if need be. Some more time later, Bellatrix could see the land and the adrenalin started pumping strongly again. She kept a lookout and as the boat got nearer the land, she gasped in dismay. Those were dementors, surely. She cast the disillusionment charm on her once again and another notice me not charm, tucked her borrowed wand securely into her tattered robes and changed into a snake. She slowly went to the edge of the boat that she could not see, and hoping that her charms would not break, waited.

The boat went and stopped at a place it probably would every time. And there was some alarm that went off even as the boat which could not be seen at all came to a stop. The dementors swarmed to the boat, and the aurors were not far behind. Before they could come ahead of the dementors, whose presence was getting to her again, Bellatrix slithered down the side of the boat and on to the jetty. She carefully slithered mindful of not getting in the way of dementors and aurors and went towards the gate. She was still not visible, but the aurors had removed all spells from the boat and many of them were now jumping into the cold waters to search for her.

Bellatrix did not lose her concentration and went onwards, inch by inch and soon she reached the gates and slithered out. She went on that way for some more time, a bit faster now, because there were no aurors or magical wards. Had she not been an animagus, she would have found it very difficult to cross the wards, without detection, but as a snake, it was very easy. There were no wards for detection and for stopping an animagus, and Bellatrix was finally free. 

-----------------

It was just a week before Harry was to start his third year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He got up that morning exactly a week before he would have to leave for King's Cross, to board the Hogwarts Express. He came down to find Sirius and Remus very tense and worried and Harry became tense and alert as well.

'Morning, Siri, and Remy!' he said cheerfully and sat down, grabbing the paper that was lying beside Sirius's plate. Sirius and Remus mumbled something that Harry took to be an equally cheery good morning from them. Fully alert now, Harry opened the paper that had been folded, and saw the headlines and his eyes widened. 

**Bellatrix Lestrange Escapes Azkaban Prison….Manhunt ordered by the Ministry of Magic **

_Bellatrix Lestrange has escaped Azkaban, in what is said to be a shocking incident. She had somehow escaped the dementors, and had released the emergency boat from the boathouse and has now escaped. The death eater most feared next only to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is at large. She was responsible for the torture of the Longbottoms and many, many other atrocities during the first war with You-Know-Who._

_How did a woman who was under the influence of the dementors for almost thirteen years escape the prison, dementors and aurors? It is truly a mystery and the ministry has ordered a large scale investigation into the whole affair. The Ministry has now ordered her to be kissed on capture. _

Harry looked at her photo, which was almost like the one Kreacher had had with him and Harry repressed a shudder as he looked at the strong, striking, handsome face. He looked up at Sirius and Remus who were looking glum.

'How could she?' he asked knowing it was possible. Perhaps she was an animagus or she was immune against the dementors and could escape them. Whatever it was, Harry knew it was a huge headache. 

'Don't know Harry.' Sirius said. 'She was one of those truly crazy people, who actually believed in Voldemort's ideals and joined him because of that. She's crazy, and crazy people are dangerous people Harry, because they don't act according to the norm. I feel very worried for you.' 

'For me? But why Sirius?' Harry asked, putting on a puzzled look.

'Because she is Voldemort's deputy and she was reputed to be as sadistic as Voldemort himself. She knows that Voldemort was defeated by you and would come after you. I know that.' Sirius told him.

They spent the rest of the morning talking about Bellatrix and when they finally got up to leave to attend to their work, Harry was very thoughtful indeed. Last time in his third year Sirius had escaped from Azkaban and Harry had thought that possible because Sirius was innocent. Now, Bellatrix had escaped and she certainly wasn't and if she was half as crazy as she had been the last time, then Harry would have to be very careful, very careful indeed.

_**End of Chapter – 24**_

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	25. Chapter 25

Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past

Thank you all of you who have read this story and to every one of you who took that extra minute to post a review. Thank you, lisa, Harriverse, shina and Raine

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 25**_

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'Hey Hermione!' Harry called, walking into the King's Cross station. He had just waved goodbye to Sirius and Remus, who gave him many instructions to be careful, all because Bellatrix had escaped Azkaban. The topic of the last week of holidays had only been Bellatrix's escape. Harry had been forbidden to go to Diagon Alley and he had been told so many do's and don'ts that he was close to screaming in frustration and was never more happy to escape Grimmauld Place.

On the first of September, Harry thankfully walked along the platform, after seeing off Sirius and Remus, and seeing Hermione called out to her. She was standing with her parents and hearing him shout; turned and beamed at him. Harry grinned back at her and greeted her parents and chatted for a few minutes before saying his goodbyes to the Grangers and got on to the train. They walked through a few compartments before they found an empty one and went in thankfully hoisting their trunks on the luggage rack and sank down on the seats.

'Did you see the papers Harry?' Hermione asked him at once in great excitement and some fear after they sat down waiting for Neville to join them. Harry nodded his head and smiled at Hermione's expression. 'I did and this last week, Sirius and Remus have been so worried, it has been crazy, really.' Harry finished with a sigh and a second later the door opened and Neville peeped in and seeing them, walked in.

Harry smiled at Neville and Hermione greeted him softly, but Neville only nodded his head at both, sitting down stiffly. Harry was inwardly shocked at the changes in Neville. He looked pale and had come down to half his size and he was holding himself as if he would break any moment. His face was taut and stressed. Harry wondered how this last week had gone for Neville. It was frustrating for him, but for Neville it must have been terrible. Hermione smiled sadly at Neville and Harry watched as Neville caught her eyes, flushed and turned away. Harry did not speak and neither did Hermione. A few minutes later, Neville spoke, as if unable to bear the silence.

'Gran almost did not send me this year.' He said, leaning back on the seat. The train began to move and Harry smiled sympathetically without saying anything, while Hermione simply nodded. Bellatrix's torture of the Longbottoms had been splashed all over the papers and she and Harry could understand just how the conversations would have been in the Longbottom household.

After a few minutes Harry spoke. 'Sirius and Remus too, were very reluctant to let me go. Bellatrix has escaped Azkaban and Sirius was paranoid about it. It was only after I told him that I would be in Hogwarts, the safest place in all of Wizarding Britain that he allowed me to come.'

'She is related to Sirius, he is naturally concerned Harry. Besides she is evil.' Hermione said with a trace of anger remembering all that she read about Bellatrix. 'I hope she is captured soon.' She finished softly and then fell silent, seeing Neville was very uncomfortable.

'I wonder who the defence against the dark arts teacher will be this year.' Harry asked both of them after a small silence.

'Have no idea. Poor Professor Lockhart. He was attacked and somehow lost his memories and now is in St. Mungo's. They are not sure when he will get his memories back, if at all.' Hermione looked angry for Lockhart. Harry grinned at her and watched her frown. 'Harry, why are you smiling? Surely you don't think Lockhart's position is funny?' she asked huffing a bit at him.

Harry of course thought Lockhart very much deserved it, having oblivated so many others to take their stories to make a name for himself, but he could hardly say so and he smiled at Hermione's indignation on behalf of the now memory less Lockhart. Harry shook his head, 'I don't mean it badly Hermione, but well, I really couldn't care much about it either. He was a bit of a fruitcake.'

Hermione looked affronted by Harry's casual dismissal and relapsed into a silence that told Harry he would need to break it first and with an apology. Neville had not said anything at all and Harry looked out of the window, wondering about his third year. Last time Sirius had escaped and Remus had been riding with them on this very train. Now, though it was very different. Bellatrix of all people had escaped and the whole Wizarding World was now looking for her. Harry also did not know who the new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher was and he also did not know if dementors would guard the School. There had been a lot of articles about the safety of the people at large a few articles about the protection of students at Hogwarts. Perhaps, Harry thought, Dumbledore might still allow the dementors into the school, if the Ministry made a loud enough noise about it.

Harry took a deep breath; this year was already beginning in a way his last time did not and Harry did not know what to do; he was deep in thought when the door of their compartment opened and Draco peeped in. Seeing Harry, he smiled a bit and was about to walk in when he noticed Neville, who was looking away from him and straight out of the window.

Draco flushed and stepped back and then a few seconds later shuffled his feet and moved forward, straightening his shoulders, as if determined to face whatever Neville might throw at him. He stepped inside and raised his eyebrows asking Harry the question. Harry smiled at Draco and nodded to him and Hermione too called out to him, but Neville sat straight and stiff, without looking at him and not saying a word either.

"Hey! How have you been?' Harry asked him, with a smile.

Draco shrugged. 'Okay. What with Aunt Bellatrix's escape...?' Draco wound down seeing Neville turn deliberately to glare at Draco and then look away.

'Go on what happened?' Harry asked interested to see what Draco would tell him, and if Lucius would have warned Draco about his Aunt who was on the loose. Draco smiled a bit nervously and cleared his throat. "Father is very worried and so is Mother. We don't want her, and really everything's been a bit tense. I was glad to get on the train, you know.'

'It is not your fault Draco, don't beat yourself about it; she's your aunt on one side and Sirius's cousin on the other and he's foaming at the mouth too. We just have to be careful, so that if she's got any plans of coming to the school, we can be prepared, though I doubt it. Thirteen years in Azkaban; Merlin! She must be insane to say the least, with only the dementors for company.' Harry finished and then they were largely silent the rest of the time. Draco was sitting there almost defiantly, not moving until the announcements came for everyone to change into their robes and get ready to alight at Hogsmeade.

Draco had had a strange holiday; in fact a strange few months. He was looking at everything and everyone, with a different eye, ever since he came to know that Lucius was responsible for the Diary. While he never said anything outwardly his time with his parents had been different from his point of view, because he saw them and their motives differently. He knew they loved him; he loved them too, but it was somehow different, because he was not agreeing with them on everything. Only he was not doing it openly. He was, he realized this holidays, seeing everything through Harry's eyes. Wondering, if Harry would agree and if so, then it was somehow okay with him; and if he knew Harry would not like it, he too, found reasons to disagree.

The last week had not been tense only for the Longbottoms, but also for the Malfoys, though they would of course never show it. When the news of Bellatrix's escape reached Lucius Malfoy, he was displeased at first. The Malfoys knew about the escape through the papers and Lucius had almost fainted with shock. He contacted the Ministry and spoke to the Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge and had had it confirmed. He told the Minister that he very much hoped that the death eater would be captured soon and closed the floo connection.

He had turned to Narcissa and they had walked into their study and spent some time there. Draco had been watching all this and he sat in one corner unobtrusively, observing all that was going on. Lucius had come out looking better and Narcissa had a resigned air about her. They had come to a decision and they had chosen a side. Not that they had much choice, the dark mark on Lucius's left forearm would not allow him to do anything else.

He had called Draco and told him about his Aunt Bellatrix's escape and warned him to be careful. And for the first time, Lucius also told Draco to stay away from Harry, because things were different now. Draco had heard him silently, nodding in all the right places and knowing full well, he would not obey this command of his father at all. Only he would need to be careful. Draco was amazed at his own rebellious attitude and suddenly felt very happy, even though he did not know why. He decided to slowly talk to Pansy, Blaise and whoever would listen to him in Slytherins House and start them thinking.

He knew it was only a matter of time, before Bellatrix would come to Malfoy Manor and he also decided if he came to know it, he would tell Harry about it. He had spent his week after Bellatrix's escape doing a lot of thinking.

Now, seeing the way Neville treated him on the train and how Harry supported him, Draco; Draco felt that he was doing the right thing. He would speak to Harry, Neville and Hermione and take it from there. Having decided that Draco had felt very relieved and light. He sat there quietly his head held high and when the announcements came he nodded to Harry and Hermione and looked at Neville, who was still not looking at him, and walked out.

The train journey had been tense and silent mainly because of Draco who stubbornly refused to leave, but there had been no dementors this year. No fainting for Harry and no listening to his parents' voices. Though, Harry was not sure he would hear his parents' voices this time. He had seen too much and he was sure, Harry thought with a frown, that he would see his children reaching out to him. Harry turned his head sharply towards the window to conceal a sudden spurt of pain.

It was almost three years and he was still weeping inside; Harry talked sternly if rather sadly to himself, telling him to stop this emotional outburst about what had already happened and which was not likely to change ever.

When Hogsmeade station came, the three silent third years alighted and walked out into the crisp breeze that was flowing around them. It was still dusk and steadily beginning to get dark and Harry looked around him breathing in deeply and taking in the scenery around him. The little station was surrounded by mountains that seemed to go on forever and nestled in their midst was the fully magical village of Hogsmeade. Hogsmeade was a very small village of a few streets, an owl post office, the main market place where The Three Broomsticks, The Hog's Head, Madam Puddifoot's and other small shops were lined up on one side of a long street, which then branched off to join a small pathway cum lane that lead to Hogwarts.

The students except the first years got into the horseless carriages, and Harry saw the threstals which he was sure Luna could see as well, and they went up to the castle. Harry's heart filled up with love as he saw the castle gates and the stately Hogwarts, her towers floating high up proudly in the air, and with the Forbidden Forest looming darkly on one side. Harry once again felt he had come home and leaned back in his carriage, very happy and extremely content. There were no dementors at the gates and Harry hoped he could get through this year without much fuss.

They trooped inside and entered the Great Hall. Harry glanced at the Head Table almost automatically and saw Snape's eyes on him. Seeing Harry, Snape glared at Harry who grinned at him and raised his hand in a small wave. Snape scowled and turned to speak to Dumbledore who was watching this exchange with much amusement in his eyes. He looked at Harry and smiled, and his smile slightly widened when Harry grinned at him and inclined his head in a greeting.

Soon, Harry was sitting with his friends was eating hungrily, enjoying the vast feast laid on the table before him. Hermione seemed to have forgotten about Lockhart and was back to smiling and talking with him. Harry looked at everyone in the Great Hall and idly listened to the conversation around him, which was unsurprisingly about Bellatrix.

'I hope the insane death eater does not come anywhere near us.' Said Seamus stuffing roast potatoes into his mouth.

All the others nodded fervently and Dean who had been told about the insane death eater was also nodded his head. 'How could she escape anyway? I thought this Azkaban thing was guarded by what's that Seamus? Yeah, dementors and no one can get past them?'

'Yeah, but you see Bellatrix was almost as feared as You-know-Who and she was terrible in the first war. Who knows what kind of dark magic she did to escape?' Ron chimed in. he was looking well, Harry noticed with a pang and so was Ginny.

'After thirteen years?' Hermione entered the fray. 'I doubt it.' She said. 'If she had powers that could help her escape why wait for all these years? She could have escaped long back. Staying there for such a long time; I hope no one in the ministry helped her?'

'No, no!' Seamus hastened to tell her. 'The prison is guarded by dementors Hermione. They suck souls and leave a man worse than death. They won't let anyone inside.'

'They won't know. They'll think that the aurors came in with Ministry permission. The ministry is not saying anything except that they are looking for her and they will capture her at any cost.' She said, frowning at no one in particular, trying to remember all that she had read the last week. Neville was still not saying a word and Harry decided that he would need to talk to him, if he continued this way. This could end up stressing Neville in a way that could affect him badly.

At the end of the meal Dumbledore stood up, asking for attention. The smile had vanished leaving a serious looking Headmaster and all the students fell silent.

'I have information for all of you. Last week Bellatrix Lestrange escaped Azkaban. She was one of the more fearful death eaters following Lord Voldemort and this is not good news at all. The Ministry has appointed the dementors to guard the School in case Bellatrix would try and enter. Please do not leave the School without permission and do not approach the gates where they would be stationed.' Dumbledore looked for a second at Harry and continued, 'The Forbidden Forest is forbidden as usual and Mr. Filch has a list of things that are not allowed and has posted a list for those interested in his office.' The students were still as they looked at Dumbledore and he continued, 'On a happier note, we have a new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher. Professor Jim Tim.'

A small, thin man who looked as if he needed to be defended stood up and bowed and then sat down. The students looked at each other and then looked away, trying not to laugh. Dumbledore sat down and then it was time to leave the Great Hall and Harry got up and left with Hermione and Neville, grinning at Draco, Pansy and Blaise

The Gryffindors walked up to their tower and feeling tired, Harry, Hermione and Neville walked up to their dorms and after changing and setting his things in place Harry walked over to Neville's bed and called out softly to him.

'What is it Harry?' Neville asked him.

'Can I come in for a minute?'

'What is it?' Neville said opening the curtains and Harry walked in.

'How have been holding up Nev?' Harry asked him, abruptly the moment he sat down on Neville's bed.

Neville blinked at the frankness of the question and looked at Harry for a few moments trying to find the right answer and decided to tell the truth. 'Pathetic!' he said. 'Gran has been a wreck ever since that…that hag escaped Azkaban and she has also been very worried. We went to St.Mungo's and asked for additional protection for my parents and she almost decided against sending me to Hogwarts. It was only because Uncle Algie told her, that I would be safest here, with Dumbledore that she reluctantly agreed. It has been terrible. I…I just want to kill her Harry.' Neville finished with a snarl that looked so out of character. He also felt relived that he had spoken out and got it off his chest and looked at Harry a little defiantly.

Harry was silent for a few minutes, giving time to Neville to calm down. 'Well we will be safe here. Along with Dumbledore, we also have the dementors and powerful wards that would protect all of us.' Harry sighed. 'I hate her as well. Sirius feels very bad; they are related you know and he was also very worried. I really, had to work to convince them to come here this year. Don't let it stress you out Nev. She's not worth it.'

Neville smiled a bit, and Harry after sitting with him for a little more time, stood up, and saying good night to Neville, left to his own bed to sleep the first day of his third year, leaving Neville feeling somehow better for having got all that out and knowing that someone else understood his feeling of extreme frustration, anger, helplessness.

The first morning Harry, Neville and Hermione walked to the Great Hall and met the Slytherins at the door.

'Hey Draco!' Harry called. Draco turned with a smile and stopped when he saw Neville. Coming to a decision, he nodded to his Slytherins friends to move on and spoke to Harry in a low voice. 'I want to talk to you three. Meet me tonight somewhere?'

'In the second floor classroom. All three of us will be there. You'll be careful? If Snape catches you…' Harry left it there and Draco and the three Gryffindors went into the Great Hall for their breakfast.

Harry looked at the Head Table to see Snape glaring at him; he smiled and waved cheerily and grinned when Snape snarled. His good deed for the day being done, Harry ate his breakfast, wondering what Draco would tell him and how he could meet Snape to talk with him. He would have had news about Bellatrix from Dumbledore and hopefully from Lucius Malfoy as well. If he didn't, well, then Harry could suggest it.

Finishing their breakfast they collected their schedules from McGonagall and walked out. Harry noticed they had potions the last class of the day, and he wondered if he could get detention somehow. Harry had taken Runes and Arithmancy this time along with Care of Magical Creatures. Professor Grubby-Plank was the Professor this time and Harry resolved to do something about Hagrid; even if he was not made Professor, the least he could do for Hagrid was to somehow help him to prove his innocence.

On that note Harry spent the rest of his day, learning about animagus transformations and attended his first Ancient Runes class. He sat with Hermione, smiling at her enthusiasm and then all of them went to the last class of the day. Potions.

The door was closed and they stood around the door when Snape surprisingly came from outside and he was in a foul mood. He glared at everyone, especially Harry, and banged the doors open and strode inside. 'Come in, and don't waste time. Get out your things and follow the instructions on the board!' a flick of his wand and there were instructions on the black board about how to prepare the pepper up potion.

Harry prepared his potion cleanly and neatly and at the end of the class walked up to Snape and tripped, tipping his potion all over Snape. There was a deathly silence for a minute. Snape looked at Harry with utter disbelief in his face.

'Detention, Potter!' he paused for a second. 'For a week!' he glared at Harry who managed to look shocked instead of nodding his head at Snape.

'You will start today Potter. Come here straight after dinner, to redo your potion you spilt.' He smiled nastily at Harry and turned that smile on the class. 'Get out! All of you! What are you waiting for?' he barked and watched with satisfaction as all of them pushed each other to get out first.

The moment dinner was over, Harry went down, and smiling at the sympathetic looks he received from Hermione and Neville, and walked to the Potion Master's office. Snape was waiting for him, and he took out his wand and warded the doors as soon as Harry closed them and walked to his chair, watching Harry plonk himself on the other chair.

'What's the news Snape? Did Dumbledore tell you anything?' Harry asked him, abruptly, coming straight to the point.

'Did this happen last time?' Snape asked one of his own, his eyes boring into Harry.

Harry shook his head. 'Last time Sirius escaped Azkaban. He saw Wormtail's photo in the paper when Fudge visited Azkaban and he escaped.'

'How? How could that be possible? Are you quite sure?' Snape asked sounding very suspicious, as if Sirius of all people could escape Azkaban and that Harry was lying, and even though Harry had told him that Sirius had escaped Azkaban long back.

'Yes, Snape. Sirius escaped Azkaban last time; I have told you this before. He is an animagus. He slipped out one day, apparently, when the dementors opened his door to place the food inside. I think Bellatrix is also an animagus. Sirius said the last time that when it got too much for him, that is when the dementors stayed near him for a very long time, he used to change into his animagus form. That used to make him feel better. To think Bellatrix may have done the same…' Harry's voice trailed away, very bitter.

'What was Black's form?' Snape asked after a silence. 'A grim.' Harry answered absently. 'Did you contact Lucius? What did Dumbledore say?' asked Harry, looking at Snape.

Snape sneered at the mention of Dumbledore, watching Harry carefully. Harry grinned at Snape and laughed when Snape glared. 'I have nothing against Dumbledore. I only think he need not know now. He is on the right side Snape.'

'Then why don't you talk to him?' Snape asked.

'Because he can seriously upset everything. Already so much is different from the original timeline. If I add Dumbledore to the mix, it will become explosive.' Harry explained.

'How?' Snape asked quietly, his black eyes watching Harry very carefully.

'He will act; he will not be like you. He will improve and act on the knowledge he will insist I give him. And then we would be in trouble because we would be seriously upsetting everything. I plan to tell him, no doubt about it, only not now. Already there is so much of a difference, it's scary.' Harry said looking pensive.

Snape was silent until Harry asked him again about Dumbledore and Lucius.

'Dumbledore is very worried and he asked me to get in touch with Lucius and see if Bellatrix has come to Malfoy Manor. As of this morning, she hasn't.' Snape told Harry.

'Are you sure Lucius is not lying?' Harry asked him. 'Bellatrix would go to her sister. I am sure of that. And the next step would be to gain her strength and resurrect Voldemort. Last time Voldemort came back to life in my fourth year. This time, I hope he will not return early.' Harry shivered as he thought of the graveyard; memories that still made him shudder.

Snape nodded. 'I asked him, if I could help. And I also know about his lost horcrux. I do not think he will lie, but I also don't think he will contact me when Bellatrix comes to their Manor; I doubt she would want it and I also think Lucius will not go against her. Draco is our best bet. Keep an eye on him and ask him for news.' Snape advised.

They were silent after that. Snape took out an old book which was tattered and started reading it, making small corrections and frowning over certain paragraphs. Harry sat there lost in his thoughts until it was time to leave.

'You may go.' Snape told him. 'I will take your next detention in two days. I shall see if I can find out a bit more.' Harry nodded and left the dungeons.

From his detention Harry went to meet Malfoy. Hermione and Neville were already there along with Malfoy and all three of them were sitting rather silently.

'Hey!' Harry called out and all three of them jumped and Hermione beamed at him. Neville and Draco looked very relieved to see him.

'Bad detention?' Draco asked sympathetically.

'Not really.' Harry said. 'He made me do some cauldron cleaning; that's all.'

'Why does he hate you so?' Hermione asked him unable to understand.

'I dunno.' Harry told her. 'I still admire him, though. He gave me a few pointers while I was cleaning and they would help immensely in potions. That man knows his stuff!' Harry said and added, 'Really!' when all three of them looked unimpressed.

'What is it Draco? Tell us? We should not be here and if Filch catches us, we could get into trouble.' Harry urged him and all of them went and sat on the desks in the middle of the classroom. Harry cast a few spells at the door and a few wandless ones around the room. Then he turned to Draco, who was now pink and staring at the board, instead of at them.

'I just wanted to tell you Harry that I will pass on any information I get about Aunt Bellatrix.' He said stiffly and fell silent. Harry blinked and his mind processed what he had heard and then he beamed at Draco.

'You are such a friend Draco.' He said and Draco flushed. It was, apparently the right thing to say and Draco looked at Neville. Neville was staring at him in shock and when Draco looked at him, he stared at Draco before he nodded once. Draco turned away. Neville and Harry had understood.

'I would suggest one thing, though.' Hermione spoke up softly. All the three boys turned to look at her. She blushed and continued. 'I think Draco; you should not be friendly with us openly. Tell Pansy and Blaise too. If your aunt is even half the things I read, I think it would cause problems for you, especially now that you've agreed to pass on any information you get about her to Harry.'

'That's brilliant, Hermione.' Harry told her admiringly. 'You are correct of course. We should be careful. Draco, be careful and warn the others too. Let us not get into hostility, but let us not be very friendly either. People will think we are drifting apart, because of Bellatrix.'

Draco did not like that, but he could see the logic in those words, because his father had said just the same thing. He nodded reluctantly. 'I will send you an owl if I have any news and we can meet here, alright?' he asked and on that note all of them went to their respective dorms to sleep.

The next two weeks went by without anything much. Bellatrix had not made an appearance at Malfoy Manor, and Harry, Snape and according to Snape, Dumbledore were all very tense. Harry had told him about Draco and Snape had been astonished. After that, he went out of his way to favour Draco and the other Slytherins and soon earned more hatred in the school than before.

The new DADA Professor was a quiet man who taught them well. Harry was amazed at this. He had looked at Harry on the first day, when he had called out the names. He had not said anything, though and treated Harry as any other student. He knew his subject well and he was fair, and also took no nonsense from anyone.

Snape was also giving detentions to Harry at the rate of one or two a week. He used all kinds of reasons that Harry and Snape hoped would do the rounds and be established that Snape thoroughly disliked Harry. 'It is true; I hope you do not have thoughts to the contrary.' Snape asked him, his eyebrows raised and his lips twisted in amusement.

'Not at all, Snape.' Harry assured him with a huge grin remembering the way he had got his detention that evening.

'Well, Potter,' Snape had said softly, his eyes glittering and Harry thought he saw amusement in them, rather than anger, 'do you call this a perfect potion?' he had lifted up the potion vial and had sneered at it and Harry.

'Yes sir. I know that potion is perfect.' Harry had replied to gasps all around the room.

Snape's face had darkened in anger. 'Detention!' he had hissed. 'I do not take cheek even from the boy who lived.'

'Please sir, what is wrong with it?' he had asked.

'I will tell you Potter when I meet you at detention tonight.' And that was that.

Life went on normally and Harry was waiting for some kind of news of Bellatrix. There was nothing.

--

**Once Bellatrix left the Ministry yard….**

Bellatrix had left the wards and slithered away to freedom. She was exhausted, but did not dare stop and moved on until she could move no more. Stopping at the foot of a huge oak tree, she looked around, but she could not see where she was, only that there were trees all round her. She did not dare to transform and try to apparate. She knew she had not the strength. She coiled up at the foot of a tree and went to sleep. She slept for more than three days, waking up weak with hunger.

It was daytime and she glanced around her, but could not see any kind of human habitation. She seemed to be in the wilderness. She slowly moved and winced inside at the pain, movement brought her.

She moved slowly until she spotted a small rabbit just ahead of her. Drooling inside at the sight of food, even though, uncooked, she went very quietly behind the rabbit and in a sudden swift movement, caught it and swallowed it.

She went back to the tree and once again lay down to digest the rabbit and gain a little strength. She had lost count of the days, but she was not bothered, because she was still alive and free.

More than ten days passed, with Bellatrix changing very rarely into her human form, scared about the dementors, and slowly moved a little around the tress everyday, gaining her strength. It took her more than three weeks to even think of trying to apparate. She finally managed it one day just three weeks after her escape. She had cleverly not ventured outside the woods she had spent the first night in. It was very close to the yard and yet it was lonely and wild. The dementors and the Ministry were searching for her in London and in the homes of all those who were suspected to be death eaters.

Even Lucius Malfoy had received a visit from the aurors, led by Moody and Kingsley. They found nothing and went away still suspicious, especially Moody. Fudge had apologized profusely to Lucius, who brushed it off, saying that no one was above the law and it was a good thing that his home was searched, because now he was in the clear. He also assured Fudge that if Bellatrix ever came to his home, he would apprehend her and turn her over to the Ministry of Magic.

It was the third week, when Bellatrix felt that she could try and apparate successfully. She changed back from her animagus form and slowly stretched herself. She carefully stowed her wand away, not wanting to do magic until she was safe behind wards. She walked, stumbling a little and getting the feel of being in her human form for sometime. She had not dared to be in her human form for more than a few minutes at a time and the last three weeks had been spent in her animagus form and she was rather disoriented.

She apparated close to Malfoy Manor and changed at once to her animagus form and started slithering. She met no one and she successfully reached the Manor. It was night time and she went to the wards and slowly pushed her way inside. A few minutes later she was at the door and she changed and knocked at the door.

--

Lucius Malfoy and his wife were relaxing after a nice dinner. They were very relaxed and Bellatrix had almost left their minds. It was three weeks after her escape and there was no news about her. As Lucius thought, she may have died even. After living in Azkaban for almost 13 years with the dementors she would have lost her mind and hopefully her life as well, he thought, sipping his wine and sighing in appreciation. Narcissa was sitting her head resting lightly on his shoulders and Lucius was never more content.

It was at this time there was a knock at the door and Lucius frowned and then stiffened in alarm. The wards had not alerted him; his heart suddenly pounded with fear; what if it were HER? Could…could she have escaped and found her way here? She was keyed into the wards, her whole family were, and Lucius after the fall of Voldemort, never thought to change it.

He stood up, his fear spreading to Narcissa, who understood, the moment she heard the knock and saw Lucius stiffen and placed a warning hand on his shoulders, when he was about to stride away to open the door.

Both Lucius and his wife walked to the door and hesitating only for a second, Lucius threw open the door and took a step backwards. Standing in front of his smiling insanely and triumphantly, her hair all dishevelled and knotted her robes in tatters, her frame skeletal, gaunt and horrible. He tried to stretch his face into a smile and say something welcoming, but Bellatrix was not looking at him; her eyes were looking at her sister, who was standing in the shadows, behind her husband. Her voice unused to speech and weak with exhaustion and hoarse with screaming against the dementors in Azkaban now croaked.

'Cissy?'

_**End of Chapter – 25**_

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	26. Chapter 26

Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past

Thank you every one of you who have read this story so far and to everyone who reviewed. Thank you, tash and Raine

**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**

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**Chapter – 26**

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Narcissa's heart pounded with fear as she looked at the insanely smiling face of her sister. She and Lucius had almost, concluded that Bellatrix had died; how could she survive 13 years of dementors, three weeks of hiding from the aurors and dementors and still be sane and alive; they had thought she would have died once she escaped prison.

But here she was and looking terrifyingly insane and horribly real. Her croaked voice echoed in the deathly silence of the Manor's front door, where Lucius and his wife stood, and Narcissa shuddered inside her even as she stepped forward and smiled, going close to her sister and hugging her. She pulled her inside a bit hurriedly, looking fearfully at the darkness outside, as if expecting a couple of aurors to come and capture all of them. Her thoughts went almost at once to Draco, and she visibly shivered and pulled her robes around her tightly, leading her sister inside. Lucius had not said a word and he quietly followed his wife inside, his mind full of the implications of Bellatrix's visit and her obvious stay at his home.

'Cissy?' Bellatrix croaked, once again, when they were inside and Narcissa had slowly seated Bellatrix comfortably in the luxurious living room of the Malfoys. 'I have much to discuss with you.'

'Bella,' Narcissa said softly, her eyes shining with an emotion that was not easy to discern. 'I think you must wash and have something nutritious to eat and a lot of rest. Only then I think we should talk, and my dear sister,' Narcissa said slipping into her role as the Lady of the Manor and getting to her feet, she gently pulled her sister to her feet, 'you are in no shape to talk right now.'

'But Cissy,' Bella, said in protest as she got to her feet and tried to glare at her sister. 'There is so much work to be done here; I have escaped with such great difficulty…' her voice feebly croaked and Narcissa shook her head, smiling all the time, though her eyes did not show the happiness her face did.

'I know, Bella.' Narcissa smiled. 'But you are so exhausted, Bella, and I will not allow you to do anything until you have got back your strength. We will talk all you want then. Now, you listen to me and come with me. You will sleep and we will talk later.'

Narcissa refused to listen to Bellatrix's hoarse protests and she almost dragged her sister off to what used to be her suite of rooms, in the days before, when Bellatrix, Rudolphus and Rabastan used to visit the Malfoys. Calling for an elf, Narcissa fed her and helped her to wash her horribly emaciated body and watched her sleep the moment she lay down on the comfortable bed, the first time in almost thirteen years. The moment Bella slept, the smile she had plastered on her face all the while Bellatrix was awake, stopping abruptly.

Narcissa waited for a good few minutes, watching her sister sleep, her shallow and raspy breath coming in jerks and then she stood up, a frown on her beautiful face, and silently walked out of the room. Snapping her fingers for an elf, she said as it came and bowed low, 'Inform me, the moment my sister wakes up.' The elf nodded violently before it popped off, and Narcissa, a last look at the door of her sister's room, walked to her own suite of rooms.

Lucius was already there, looking very worried and his face furrowed in anxiety when he saw Narcissa walking into their rooms, and carefully closing the door and warding it.

'Well, my dear!' he asked her standing up and allowing her to sink into the comfortable sofa and sitting down beside her and concernedly putting his arm around her.

'What a headache Lucius.' She said leaning on him and placing her head on his shoulder.

'What is she saying?' Lucius asked her, worried.

'She says she has much work to do and I'm afraid,' her voice sank to a whisper, 'it will have everything to do with the Dark Lord.'

Lucius was silent. Narcissa looked at him and frowned. 'Don't you think so, Lucius?' she asked him softly.

Lucius Malfoy was still silent. He was thinking deeply about the consequences of Bella's escape and her stay at Malfoy Manor. 'Lucius?' Narcissa asked sitting up and looking worried at his continuing silence and with a deep sigh, Lucius turned to her.

'Narcissa, my love, Bella is going to cause a lot of complications for us. I only hope she will not become dangerous.' He said, even then knowing that she was already a danger to him and his family.

'We can hide her Lucius. We will take her away from here and hide her…'

'Narcissa, she will want to resurrect the Dark Lord. That is the work she wants to do. And that will only bring us trouble.' His voice sank to a whisper and he fell silent. Narcissa, who had suspected something like this, was also silent and they sat there a long time trying to get comfort from each other and failed for the first time.

Bellatrix slept for the next few days, taking in potions and a little food, but otherwise doing nothing; she was recouping and gathering her strength and it was after almost two weeks later that she found the strength to come downstairs for lunch one day. Her matted hair was now neatly tied up and her body that was gaunt was now looking better and the tiredness and the exhaustion had all but vanished from her eyes. She was very thin still, and her eyes were wild showing her mental recovery to be incomplete and also showing the extent of her suffering at Azkaban.

But she was a witch of formidable proportions and she was also half mad because of her stay at Azkaban and that made her even more deadly.

'Bella!' Narcissa smiled getting up from her place at the table and walked over to her, and helped her to sit down. Lucius was silent as he had been all these days, waiting and watching Bella's recovery and also planning as much as he could to keep his family safe. But in his deepest heart, he knew that he was already involved and there was no going back. The Dark Lord would never allow that. Now that Bella was here, the Dark Lord would soon come back. And Lucius Malfoy was right in the middle of it.

Bellatrix did not speak much at lunch that day. She ate sparingly, her mind apparently concentrated on her meal and Narcissa and Lucius shared many looks at each other, but did not disturb the silence.

Once they finished Bella said, 'Cissy, take me to your study. I wish to speak to you and Lucius privately.'

Narcissa led the way and Lucius followed, Bellatrix walking in the middle. They reached the study and closed the door and seated themselves. Bellatrix heaved a sigh of relief as she looked around the room that had not changed much since she had seen it before and smiled at her sister who was seated along with her. Lucius was in his chair behind the desk.

'How did you manage Bella?' asked Narcissa after a small pause, deciding to start the conversation by finding out how on earth had Bella escaped the most formidable prison in the Wizarding World.

Bellatrix spoke softly, telling an amazed and astonished Narcissa and Lucius about her escape. There was more silence when she finished and Lucius Malfoy was bereft of words and Narcissa could not speak at all. It was a while before Narcissa spoke and her voice trembled in fear and amazement equally. 'I have no words Bella. What you have done is beyond anything I imagined.' She said turning to Lucius, who carefully echoed the same sentiments of amazement and awe, rather than shock.

Bellatrix was pleased at the expressions on the face of her sister and brother in law. 'I was lucky, Cissy.' She said hoarsely, her voice and body already tired by this small account of her escapes. Narcissa saw this and was about to suggest that Bella take it easy for the rest of the day, when Bella spoke.

'We have to search for the Dark Lord, Lucius.' She said her heavy eyes staring intensely at him. 'We must.'

'But of course Bellatrix. We must indeed.' Lucius started, but Bella did not let him speak, a sudden fury in her eyes.

'Indeed.' She sneered weakly. 'But Lucius, if you agree, why have you not taken any steps to do this?' she demanded.

Lucius Malfoy was silent for a second, before he responded. 'But how can I, Bellatrix? How can I?'

'By searching for the Lord.' She answered sharply.

'How?' Lucius demanded not to let Bellatrix tell him he made a grave mistake.

'Lucius,' Bella croaked, her eyes flashing with anger that her Master was bodiless and alone all these years and Lucius and others had done nothing about it. 'Let us use the mark and try and call him.' She commanded.

Lucius snarled and roughly pushed up the sleeve of his robe. 'How,' he asked her sarcasm dripping in his voice, 'do you think I can call the Dark Lord through this?' and showed her the dark mark, which was only a scar and was faintly visible. 'If I could do you think I would have not made the effort?' he demanded loudly, throwing his words at her and glaring at her.

Bellatrix glared back. Then, she pushed her robes of her left sleeve and exposed her own dark mark, which was only a scar, faint upon her pale skin. Then she pressed a long, bony finger to it. She kept her finger for almost a minute and then released it.

Lucius was sweating. 'Bellatrix, are you trying to tell me that only pressing the mark will do. The Lord will come?' Bellatrix looked doubtful, her fury at not resurrecting her Lord subsiding. 'I know the Lord has taken precautions to make sure that he will not be killed so easily. We can try this and also ask Rookwood at the Ministry. With the Department of Mysteries's help, I'm sure he'll be able to do more. In the meantime, I think we should keep pressing our marks now and then, so that the Lord wherever and however he is may hear us through it and come.'

Lucius calmed down. Bellatrix was not sure. She too, was doubtful and was only trying various means known to her to help in the resurrection of the dark lord.

'I will go to the Ministry and try and meet Rookwood and ask him to come to the Manor and get him to start searching for the Dark Lord and also get news about your escape. Nobody need know that you are here for the moment.' Lucius said, and jumped a bit when Bellatrix spoke, her voice harsh and shaking with fury.

'The bloody boy, who did this to our Lord. Is..is he alive still, Lucius?' she asked. 'Is Harry Potter alive?' she shouted hoarsely.

Lucius nodded. "Yes, he is and he is now currently studying in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.' He said rather calmly and went on to give her news of various people she had known and about their children who were studying at the School now. Bellatrix had a hearty croaky laugh when Neville and his parents were mentioned, her eyes glittering with happiness. That soon wore away when Harry's name was mentioned. She frowned at Harry's brilliance and at his popularity and his everything.

'That boy must die, Lucius.' She said venomously. 'He should not live, for what he did to our Lord.'

'I agree.' Lucius said pacifically. 'But that boy is very well protected and difficult to touch. But we will resurrect the Dark Lord first and then kill him in front of our Lord.' he added hastily, when he saw her rage mount. At his words, though, she calmed down and nodded reluctantly.

After a brief silence, Lucius stood up to leave for the Ministry, rolling his left sleeve and pressing the dark mark on his left arm for good measure. He wanted the credit of resurrecting the Dark Lord as well.

--

Harry, Snape and Dumbledore waited patiently for some word, any word to come of Bellatrix. But it seemed she had gone into a hole and pulled the hole after her.

Harry was receiving a detention a week. Plus he had his Quidditch practice and his secret meetings with Draco (they had decided not to meet and be friends openly) who also was as anxious as Harry, but for a different reason. He did not want his parents o be involved with his Aunt. He was still recovering from his father's role in the Diary and he wanted his parents to have no part in Bellatrix's escape.

Harry's days were full; he caught glimpses of Ginny, chattering away to others in the Gryffindor common room in the evenings. She was friends with Hermione and a few other girls and boys in her year. She smiled tentatively at Harry initially, blushing a lot whenever she saw him, but Harry's nonchalance soon soothed her and she smiled or ginned at him, talking naturally when she needed to. Those times were very few, it was usually when she came over to say something to Hermione and spoke first to Neville initially, simply smiling at Harry and going away. Slowly, she started speaking with Harry, starting with a simply Hi, usually.

Harry encouraged this, by speaking a few words to her and slowly her shyness around him, vanished. For Harry, those times were bittersweet, because he desperately wanted friendship and more from her and yet his age and hers would not let him move the way he would have otherwise. But, he realized ruefully, last time in third year, he had been totally unaware that Ron's younger sister would capture his heart completely in the future.

He pestered Snape for details and Snape was quite short him, bestowing Harry with pearls of sarcasm.

'It is almost two months into the School year and we are just a week away from Halloween, Snape. And still no news.' Harry told him for what was the hundredth time. He usually started his detentions with this statement.

Snape glared as he usually did. 'Potter, you try my patience.' He said acidly. Harry smiled at him and watched him scowl. Snape began abruptly, as if to stop Harry from saying anything else, which would anger him more. 'I wrote to Lucius about Bellatrix last week. You know that. I received his reply today. He is as bland as usual in it. He even met with Rookwood, he writes, asking him to see if he could use the Ministry to search for the Dark Lord, because he is confident that she would have gone to him.'

Harry frowned. There was something so wrong with this information. He contemplated for a few minutes and then said, 'But since when did Lucius start thinking that Voldemort was alive?' Then as realization came to him he sighed. 'Oh, because of the horcrux, we destroyed.' He answered his own question.

Snape nodded once and turned to his work. A few minutes later Harry spoke again. 'What does Dumbledore say about all this?'

'He is also on the lookout, Potter.' Snape told him. 'But unless we have any leads to go on, we cannot do anything. Now kindly stop blathering and let me do my work in silence.' He snapped and the rest of the 'detention' was spent in silence.

Halloween came and went. That day Harry was very tense and spent the whole day pouring over his map. But there was nothing. Not knowing what to do about this whole escape, Harry slowly started getting involved into ordinary School matters. Quidditch season was starting and Harry was soon engrossed in practice and his studies, which were going on as smoothly as possible.

The weather started changing from being merely chilly to becoming really cold, and Harry hoped rather morosely that Bellatrix would die in the cold weather somewhere before she could come into the Wizarding World and make trouble. He dressed and in warm clothes and walked out to meet Hermione to go down with her and Neville as usual.

'Brr… It is cold today isn't it?' Neville told him and Harry nodded trying to summon up a smile. He was getting more and more worried as the days went by, because he simply did not know what to do. He knew Dumbledore was searching and also knew that Snape was trying as well, but Harry felt very helpless, as he attended Transfiguration and sat through Animagus lessons, and went to potions and withstood the glare Snape bestowed upon him, with a certain detention at least once a week, in addition to the glares. Harry found everything dull in short and became very restless. To stop thinking about that mad woman, Harry flew a lot and was the first for practice and was the last to leave.

Gryffindor was playing Hufflepuff in its first match and Oliver was straining everyone to the maximum. The day dawned cold and clear and the whole School came to watch the match. Harry soared up into the skies swaying in the breeze and enjoying the cold air. He decided to push Bellatrix to the back of his mind and enjoy the game. Lee Jordan was commenting and McGonagall was reprimanding him whenever he stepped out of line and Harry suddenly happy, swooped up and down racing with and against the wind, reveling in the cold morning air. Cedric was the Hufflepuff seeker, and Harry felt a surge of happiness as he usually did, whenever he saw someone who had died in his own timeline.

In his exhilaration, Harry almost missed the snitch, a while later, that was floating by the Slytherin stands. Gryffindor and Hufflepuff were almost neck-to-neck in scores and the snitch would decide the winner. It was Lee's comment, or rather yells that got Harry's attention. 'Potter!' Lee bellowed, 'Has not noticed the snitch, while Diggory the Hufflepuff seeker is racing away towards it.' He finished, looking anxiously at Harry. Harry pulled his broom and turned right around and flew madly towards the Slytherin stands, where a smirking Snape was sitting with his Slytherins and laughing, really laughing, his black eyes in anticipation and amusement as a desperate Harry rushed to get level with Cedric.

Harry sped racing against the wind, his mind now closed to everything except catching the snitch. Cedric was just a few feet away racing in front of Harry, determined to clasp the little golden snitch in his hands. The crowd was silent, watching with a thrill as the two seekers, one the easily handsomest boy in all of Hogwarts as Cedric was called and the other the most famous in all of the Wizarding World, the Boy Who Lived, tried to be the first to close their hand on the snitch.

The snitch was hovering just level with the Slytherin seats. Cedric was just a little ahead of Harry and he would have surely got it, in just a few seconds, when, the snitch suddenly fluttered downwards and was a bright gold against the dark Slytherin green of the stands.

Harry saw that and swooped from behind and Cedric, who was going way too fast, trying to slow his broom before trying to swoop down and catch the snitch at the same time. But in the precious seconds it took for Cedric, to slow his speed and go lower, Harry had from behind, already closed his hand over the snitch and had crashed into the stands, because he had forgotten to swerve his broom from the stands.

He clutched the snitch as a concerned Cedric hauled him out mere seconds later. Snape had also come to the edge of the stands, but retreated when he saw Harry quite all right, his face schooled into a scowl.

Meanwhile the Gryffindor players had gathered around Harry, and after checking to see he was okay, they burst into loud yells of happiness, already planning for a party that night. Ron came rushing to shake his hand, his eyes shining with joy. 'That was just great mate!' he screamed, and Harry felt a pang go through him. He realized how much he had missed Ron's friendship at times like these. He grinned back, however and shook Ron's hand and walked to the infirmary to be checked by Madam Pomfrey on McGonagall's orders before going to join his friends.

Hermione and Neville, who had been sitting with Ron and the other Gryffindors, too, came running along with Ron and walked along with him, chatting about the game to the infirmary.

After the high of winning a thrilling game, where Gryffindor beat Hufflepuff in a close match, 430 to 260, and where everyone spoke of with awe about the thrilling chase between seekers, Harry felt flat again. Bellatrix had clouded his mind again. But there was nothing he could do, except wait, and that was getting on Harry's nerves. He could not speak about it to anyone, apart from Snape, who he met only once a week in detention.

Thankfully there were only a few days for the Yule and Mid Winter holidays and Harry trooped off dejectedly to Hogsmeade with the rest, listening to their happy chatter about the holidays. He had invited the Twins, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Hermione to Grimmauld Place that year, after Christmas Day, to spend the rest of the holidays with him. All of them had agreed and were very thrilled, planning many things, which Harry on the outside was always happily agreeing to, but could not excite him the same way. He said his goodbyes to Snape on the day of the last detention; Snape still had no news for him.

He did not invite Draco to Grimmauld Place. Draco was jealous that the Weasleys were spending time with Harry, but he could not dispute Harry's reasons, and nor could he find a way around them.

'So all of them are coming?' he had asked raising his eyebrows.

Harry rolled his eyes. 'You know I would have invited you too, Draco. But this is not the time. You will get into trouble with your parents for even asking them, and if Bellatrix had contacted your parents, that would be doubly dangerous. We will meet like this, for now. This is what will keep you safe.'

'I don't need to owl you?' Draco had asked.

'No, unless it is very important, and even then, use a mail owl, not yours. Be careful Draco. And get back safely after the holidays.' Harry had told him seriously.

Draco had been inclined to scoff initially at Harry's insistence of asking him to be safe, but after Harry had directed him to the Library, where he had read a few accomplishments of Bellatrix Lestange and understood how dangerous she was. He understood Harry's reasoning and he had not protested.

'I will tell you, if there is any news, about her.' He said, a thrill and a fear going through him, at the thought of Bellatrix coming to his home.

Harry nodded again. "Please.' He said. ' But don't disobey your parents and don't look at Bellatrix or your dad in the eye. Remember what I told you about Occlumency and Legilimency.' Harry warned him and sent him off.

Sirius and Remus met Harry at the station and he went home with them, talking to them about his term. He waved goodbye to Neville and Hermione, nodded discreetly at Draco, who was received only by his mother; Lucius was not there, which Harry noted and walked out of Platform 9 and 3 quarters to Grimmauld Place for the Yule Holidays.

_**Chapter – 26**_

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	27. Chapter 27

Thank you for reading this story and thank you for waiting so long for an update. Thank you for every review. Killinguwithumbrellas, Raine

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

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_**Chapter – 27**_

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Draco stepped out of the Hogwarts Express along with his Slytherins friends and saw his mother waiting for him. He had had a strange third year so far and he did not know what to make of it. His feelings towards his parents, especially his father was turbulent and he had already decided to betray any confidential information he might receive, to Harry. When ever he thought of his spy job as he called it in his mind, Draco would feel a thrill going through him, along with a good measure of fear and a sense of betrayal to his family, who he knew loved him very much. He was determined to do something, in the holidays; perhaps, he thought he may be able to even actively tackle his mother; his father, he knew, would be difficult, he would get suspicious, and he did not want his father to read his mind. That scared him more than anything.

He had been startled when Harry first spoke of Occlumency, but was sure, that his father would know it because Occlumency would give him a tremendous advantage against his opponents. His mother might be easier to deal with, he thought clutching the bag in his hand a little more tightly. If Bellatrix had contacted his mother or father… Draco's thoughts stopped at that point and he could not stop the tremble that went through his body, thinking about it, knowing the consequences they would face if the Ministry ever found out that the Malfoys were giving shelter to a witch for whom there was a man hunt on in the Wizarding World and the muggle world.

The Ministry had given information about her in some TV thing in the muggle world too, asking people to inform authority if they saw her or knew about her whereabouts. But there was nothing until now. It was as if Bellatrix was dead or simply vanished off the face of the earth. Draco very much hoped she was. That would give him a lot of relief, but walking behind his mother out of the barrier, he was not so sure.

Narcissa had not spoken a word to Draco apart from a general enquiry and Draco was feeling more and more suspicious by the minute. He was sure that his parents knew something about Bellatrix and another thrill of fear went down his spine.

They had crossed the barrier and were now walking to an expensive car that was fitted with magic. Narcissa got in behind the wheel and Draco got in beside her.

'Mother!' he asked, 'You are so quiet. Are you well?'

Narcissa smiled at him, deftly steering her car out of the parking lot and did not reply until they were out of the station and onto the roads. A few minutes later, Narcissa jumped like the Knight's Bus and was in the countryside, outside London. Then she looked at Draco, no expression on her face.

'I am well Draco. How was your School? What news do you have for me, love?' she asked, jumping once again and entering the Wiltshire County.

'Nothing mother. The whole School is still talking about Aunt Bellatrix's escape. I wonder what happened to her. Is she even alive or dead, I wonder, don't you?' Draco told her, watching her closely for her reaction. Narcissa stopped smiling and her hands tightened around the wheel and she suddenly stepped on the accelerator and the car which was already going very fast, now simply zoomed as Narcissa took a turning at an alarming pace.

'Mother!' he shouted, turning pale. 'What happened to you? Why are you driving so fast? Slow down.' He shrieked the last two words, as Narcissa took another corner of a narrow lane on two wheels. He shouted again, asking her to slow down, and Narcissa took a deep breath and slowed down marginally, suddenly jumping to the corner of their lane and Draco slowly calmed down. He could just see the Manor in the distance. He fell silent, trying to process what had happened, his heart beating very fast.

Narcissa knew something. He was sure of that. The moment he had asked about Bellatrix she had reacted very sharply and guiltily, as if she knew exactly where Bellatrix was and how she was. Draco was suddenly angry. His mother was knew something about Bellatrix. What did she know and was it because she knew something that she was scared?

Draco also realised another thing. This was a dangerous job and he also understood why Harry had told him to be cautious and why Harry had made sure that they would not be seen to be outwardly friendly with each other. He did not say another word as the beautiful car rolled into the equally beautiful and ostentatious Manor.

Narcissa brought the car to a halt with a loud screech in front of the main doors and Draco stepped out, even as a house elf popped out to them to take Draco's trunk. Draco followed his mother silently into the huge, but elegant Manor and flopped onto a comfortable sofa. Narcissa smiled at him as she sat down too in front of him and watched him with affection, softening the strain on her face.

A few minutes later after an elf brought a steaming cup of Hot Chocolate and Draco slowly sipped the hot drink, all the while racking his brains to ask something about Bellatrix that would not set his mother off again. But there was no need as Narcissa herself opened the subject of the escaped convict of his aunt.

'Draco,' she began softly, her face smooth and a small smile around her lips; she could not conceal the tension around her eyes though, and Draco noticed that his mother was trying her best to appear as normal as she usually was, but there was nevertheless something odd about her. He waited for her to continue.

'You know your aunt has escaped from Azkaban. But my love; we have nothing, _nothing_ Draco to do with it. Bellatrix may be dead for all we know because she was convicted as a death eater and was in Azkaban for almost thirteen years before she escaped, Merlin only knows how she did and where she is now. After her escape there has been nothing; no trace of her; it is as if she disappeared into nothing Draco. My own personal opinion is that my sister is no more. She is dead.'

Narcissa finished speaking in the same even, soft tone and looked at Draco with affection and love and just a touch of anxiety on her beautiful face. Draco, on his part stared at her and tried to understand all that she said. After a moment he spoke as softly as she did his grey eyes on his mother's face.

"The Gryffindors hope she is dead. They also say father was a death eater too, and that he should be in prison.' He said abruptly. 'They talk badly of the Dark Lord and our family.'

Narcissa gasped and paled, closing her eyes and it looked to Draco that she would faint, so pale she had become, but she opened her eyes and started to speak softly, when Lucius entered the room, speaking for her. 'The Dark Lord was misunderstood, Draco. He had a glorious vision for the Wizarding World and it was the saddest day when he was defeated by Harry Potter. But the Dark Lord is not dead, Draco; he will rise once again, and then the Wizarding World will be set to rights. But no more of all this; how have you been?' he asked, sitting down next to his son, with a smile that did not quite reach his eyes.

'I am fine Father. It is just that everyone especially that squib Longbottom and the other Gryffindors sometimes annoy me about our Aunt.' He answered and turned to his mother, who was now looking anxiously at Lucius, 'Why don't we search for her on our own Mother? If we are able to find her and if she's alive, then it'll be nice won't it?' he added as innocently as he could and to his shock he saw his mother's startled expression and her eyes move to a point beyond him. Draco almost turned around to look behind him and it was only with great control that he desisted.

And then Draco received his answers, even though his parents did not say a word. His Aunt was in the Manor. Actually in the Manor. His parents were giving her shelter and hiding a criminal in their house. Draco suddenly wanted to run away from there. He was very scared, no terrified.

'Draco, we will indeed not find her. She was imprisoned in Azkaban and has escaped. The Ministry is watching us, because I am Aunt Bellatrix's sister and I was very close with her before her imprisonment. But today we have to take a different stance. We cannot be seen as sympathizing with your Aunt, because,' her voice dipped down into a harsh and tense whisper, her eyes once again glancing swiftly towards where the way to the dungeons were, beyond Draco, before she continued, 'of the Dark Lord. You understand?' Narcissa was now gazing intensely into Draco's eyes and he shifted uncomfortably on his seat.

'Draco, answer me!' Narcissa sounded stern, stunning Draco who had never been spoken to like that. He nodded obediently and then asked his father. 'Why did you not come to King's Cross, Father?'

'I am brewing some very rare potions; a research almost. I happened to come across an old potions book and I am experimenting. I could not leave the potion and come to the station with Mother. I have to go back now; else the potion may be ruined.' He smiled and stood up, 'Draco, I also want you to stay out of the dungeons.' Seeing Draco's startled look, Lucius said, 'The potions I am brewing are also very explosive; I am constantly working with a shield, and I have hurt myself a couple of times already. I would not wish you to venture down and get hurt. Do you understand?'

Draco understood. That was an order and he would do well to obey it. He nodded and saw his father smile at him and nodding to Narcissa, Lucius went off again, in the direction of the dungeons. Narcissa moved across and sat down with Draco, her hands slowly stroking his hair that was so like hers. Draco leaned into her touch for a moment and then turned to stare at her and then with a small smile he stood up.

'I am tired, Mother.' He said simply, just wanting to get out of there.

'Of course, you are darling.' She said indulgently. 'Go on to your room and relax. We will talk later.' Draco nodded and walked swiftly to his room, his head swimming with all that he had heard. He reached his room and slammed the door shut and flopped on the sofa that was placed near the fireplace in what was an enormous room. He simply sat there for a while and then started recollecting his thoughts which seemed to have just died, with all that he had heard today. He thought of writing to Harry but something told him that was not a good idea.

Could he try and search the house and find anything, he wondered and then shivered at the thought. But what could he find; only Bellatrix and if he saw her, she would not let him go back to school, he was sure of that. He trembled at that thought as well; the thought of staying here, a prisoner like Bellatrix had been, was simply not worth it, he concluded. He decided he would not go Bellatrix hunting. If he got caught, that would be the end of his life, and Draco did not want his life to end so quickly. But what else could he do? After some more thinking, Draco miserably concluded, he could do nothing. All he could do was to gather as much information as he could and hand it over to Harry. On that depressing note Draco got up to wash.

The whole holidays sped by without Draco finding out about anything. He did try to talk about Bellatrix as much as he could, trying to sound curious and amazed that she could escape Azkaban and still be free, but his parents did not rise to the bait. His father was seldom out of the dungeons and had placed wards at the entrance so that no one could accidentally enter. Draco had tried to tiptoe into the dungeons, but was pushed back by a powerful ward and after that did not dare try again.

He never heard the name of Bellatrix mentioned again by his mother or father, except when he did and even then, they showed no interest. Soon, it was time to leave for School and Draco had discovered nothing. They were at dinner; the three of them the night before Draco was to leave for Hogwarts and Lucius was in his most relaxed manner. Draco felt that both his parents were very eager to send him back to School and felt slightly resentful about it, but since he too, wanted to escape the atmosphere that was very normal on the outside, but with a tension beneath the surface, he did not mind it too much.

'So Draco, all set to get back to School?' asked Lucius, smiling at him.

'Yes father.' Draco replied.

'Father!' he said after a moment. 'I have hardly seen you all these holidays. You were always down in the dungeons. Could you not have allowed me to help? I am decent at Potions, you know!' he finished slightly indignantly.

Lucius Malfoy looked startled for a second and glanced quickly at Narcissa. 'Those are not Potions that you can help with Draco. You know that. Otherwise I would have let you. Now, finish your dinner. You may help me, if you like when you're grown up, though.' He finished a wealth of meaning in his voice. Draco did not understand, but he assumed it was not something his mother approved, for she was frowning, though her face smoothed out almost at once. Draco did not say another word.

The next day, Draco was seen off at Platform 9 and ¾ by his mother, who kissed him hurriedly, and apparated back almost at once, stopping only to caution him to be careful. His father had spoken to him in the morning, excusing himself from accompanying Draco to the station, saying his potions needed attention. Draco waited until his mother apparated from the platform and slowly looked around. He spotted Harry almost immediately with his guardians and turned away. He walked swiftly to the train, knowing that he must wait until that night to meet Harry.

--

Harry spent the holidays restlessly. He had invited Ron, Ginny, Neville and the Twins to spend a week or so after Christmas day with him at Grimmauld place and they had all come. Sirius had been ecstatic that Harry had not invited Draco and he was making friends with Gryffindors. Remus and Sirius got together and gave Harry and his friends a wonderful holiday, filled with pranks. Even Hermione got used to her body changing shape and colour or something outrageous happening at odd times. Harry joined in the fun, but his heart was really not in it. He kept looking for letters from Draco, and every morning, when the owl post would come, he would get all tensed up. But he never received a note even.

By the time the holidays were at an end, Harry was desperate to leave and get some information about Bellatrix. He bid goodbye to Sirius and Remus quite happily and walked along with the others and spotted Draco walking quite alone a little ahead of him. Harry had not noticed him arriving and he wondered if Lucius Malfoy had come with Draco or if only his mother had dropped him off.

Harry and the others got into the train and selected a compartment and sat down. Draco did not come and Harry spent the whole journey wondering about Draco and whether he would have any news.

They reached Hogwarts and went to the Great Hall. It was bitterly cold and Harry and the others were glad to get inside. It was warm inside the Great Hall and Harry heaved a sigh of relief, when someone banged into him, slipping a small piece of parchment into his hands and going away. It was Draco, who turned and smirked at him and walked to the Slytherins tables with Crabbe and Goyle, lumbering in his wake.

Harry pocketed the paper, not noticing that Dumbledore, who was watching him, also noticed Draco's actions and so did Snape. Snape was not disturbed; he knew about Draco, but Dumbledore was puzzled and a bit worried. He frowned a bit and looked on. Harry walked over to the Gryffindor table, sat down and looked at the Head Table and smiled at Dumbledore and Snape. Dumbledore smiled back, but his eyes were cautious. Snape glared at Harry and deliberately turned his head away, towards the Slytherins tables.

In the middle of dinner, Harry slowly took out the piece of paper and saw that Draco had asked him to come to the usual classroom at night. He told Hermione and Neville and showed them the paper. Dumbledore saw that and was even more puzzled, but the worry left him, when he learned that Harry was sharing it with Hermione and Neville.

Harry had decided to go alone. If Draco had something sensitive to tell him, then he felt it would better if Neville and Hermione were not there; Draco would loosen up if they were alone.

After the meeting, Harry was glad he had gone alone. Draco had literally begged him to do nothing about the information he gave Harry and told him to tell no one, not even Hermione and Neville. Harry reluctantly promised, seeing no way out of it.

'You will not tell Black will you? Or Dumbledore?' Draco asked for the tenth time anxiously, after telling Harry everything, he knew and suspected.

'No, I won't Draco. Relax, will you?' Harry reassured him for the hundredth time and sent him off to the dungeons, before setting off to the tower himself.

Harry met with Snape later in the week, when Snape gave him a detention. Snape had no news and Harry gave him his.

'Are you quite foolish Potter? Merlin alone known what weird potions they are making. It could be something to resurrect the Dark Lord. Allow me to tell Dumbledore, you dunderhead! And Lestrange is there at the Manor. We can capture her and give her the kiss.' Snape was furious and he stood up from his chair when Harry told him all that Draco said, but told him that he could not act on that information.

'Snape, understand. No one has been to the house. Only Draco and if you or Dumbledore and the Order or the aurors go storming, Draco would be caught. Bellatrix would probably escape before we can enter the Manor. And if they have finished the potion or they are able to hide it, for they would have some protections in place against the Ministry, then not only will they escape, but Draco will be in a problem. I don't know what Bellatrix would do to him,' and Harry took a breath before he finished, looking straight at Snape, 'I would also lose Draco's trust and he could turn to their side Snape.' Snape stopped pacing the room at that and looked at Harry. Harry just looked back steadily at him. After a few minutes, Snape subsided.

'What shall we do?' he asked after a while.

'Nothing for now. Let's wait and watch. You'll soon know if Voldemort is coming back. You have the mark; that'll tell you.' And that was that. The rest of the year sped and Harry, resigned to his fate that seemed changing more and more everyday, turned his attention to his school life and Quidditch. He also advised Draco to do the same. Draco kept writing, but his mother always replied, sounding very, very normal Draco had nothing more to report to Harry. Easter came and went. Narcissa wrote to Draco, asking him to stay back at Hogwarts, because she and Lucius were travelling. It was not a request, but an order and Draco stayed back.

Third year had come and gone, without Harry knowing it. There was no news of Bellatrix, no time turners, no fights from dementors; no prophecy from Trelawney, nothing in short. And Harry was scared. He did not know what to make out of this, because he was already so far out of his depth; nothing was going the same way as it did in his old timeline. He had no other option but to wait. And wait he did, until the summer vacation.

--

_**Once Bellatrix had fully recovered….**_

Bellatrix had been pacified by Lucius Malfoy for the time being. She waited impatiently for Lucius to get information from Rookwood and the Ministry, and was incensed when Lucius told her that as far as the Ministry was concerned Voldemort was a thing of the past, and Rookwood did not have a clue about how to go about finding the Dark Lord. Bellatrix had already decided to summon him; she assumed he would be in his spirit form and a summoning ritual would bring him to them.

For that Bellatrix had ordered a period of intense study of the ancient texts, both in the Malfoy library and the Lestrange library. The Ministry had been unable to find the Lestranges home and had also been unable to freeze her accounts with Gringotts.

Bellatrix had been planning to move into her own home. It was safe, because no one knew about it and she was almost fully recovered in body from her escape. In mind, though, she would never recover, but that only made her more dangerous and frightening.

After pouring over texts Bellatrix and Lucius managed to narrow down three summoning rituals and after a few days of debating which would be the best, they chose one. Lucius and Narcissa went to Diagon alley to get all the required potions and they had started the potion that would take a couple of months at least. Bellatrix had wanted to do this in her own home, where they would not be disturbed, but Lucius had to reluctantly refuse and offer his own dungeons for the task, because Draco would come home for the Yule holidays just after they had started. He could not, would not allow Draco to see Bellatrix, when he would be going back to Hogwarts. If Draco spoke of her in a loose moment, Lucius Malfoy would be ruined.

So when Draco arrived, Bellatrix shifted to the dungeons and stayed there all through Draco's visit, tending to the potions along with Lucius. Draco's holidays went smoothly and then they continued with the potion, until March of that year, when something went wrong in the potion and the whole potion exploded. Lucius and Bellatrix were saved only by the shield that Bellatrix had cast a second before the potion blew up. A couple of weeks of recuperating saw her and Lucius working on the potion to see what went wrong. They briefly considered brewing another potion, but decided against it, because the other potions took longer to brew and were more volatile than this.

Three weeks after the explosion, Bellatrix and the Malfoys shifted to Bellatrix's home and started the potion all over again, this time attending even more carefully to it. Lucius sorely missed Snape, whom he was sure, would have brewed the potion correct the first time itself, but Bellatrix was adamant that no one knew where she was. Lucius tried telling her that Snape was trustworthy a few days after they started the potion the second time, but she dismissed Lucius's words scathingly.

They were chopping the belladonna leaves and asphodel roots, to crush them together, when Lucius sighed, sick of chopping, cutting, grinding and grounding.

'What is it Lucius?' she asked, looking up from her own work.

'I keep telling you Snape's on our side, Bella. He is only acting a part there. Why will you not believe me? If only he were here,'

'You would entrust this work to him and relax.' She finished scathingly, glaring at him. 'I don't care, Lucius, if you feel that this job of trying to resurrect our Lord is too much work for you…'

'When did I say that?' Lucius retorted, stopping his chopping, relieved at the small break he got from that job, because he was arguing with his sister-in-law.

'Well, what else did you mean?' she asked, standing straight, ready for a fight.

'I only mean that I can personally vouch for Severus's loyalties, because I know having kept in touch with him all these years. And I still feel he would be of help to us. You are,' he hurried on, seeing Bellatrix open her mouth to retort, 'an expert at potions, I agree; Bella, I am too, but Snape is in a class of his own, you must admit. That was why the Dark Lord accepted him and marked him in the first place.'

'I don't want to see anyone, until the Dark Lord is resurrected Lucius. He can decide for himself who was loyal and who turned traitor.' She replied flatly. 'Either you help me, or I finish this on my own.'

Lucius did not say a word more and they worked from that day in silence until the potion was finished. They were especially careful when they reached the last stages of the potion and Bella asked Lucius to always keep the shield, while she worked. The potion entered its last stage and Lucius, Bella and Narcissa who had come to pitch in with the shield, breathed a sigh of relief. Now all they had to do was to wait until the potion cleared and then they would need to start the actual ritual, along with the spell work for the summoning.

They relaxed for the first time in many months and watched as the potion cleared over the next few days with relief. Lucius relaxed, slumping in his chair. He was terrified that the potion would not do what the book said it must, and that he would have to start chopping all over again. He was sure Bella would start the whole potion enthusiastically, a third time. But, Lucius found that he was not very enthusiastic about the Dark Lord's return. Now that he knew the Dark Lord had made a horcrux, he was frightened, because it would make Voldemort less than a man and a human. He shivered.

'Are you _cold_? You seem to be ah.., shivering Lucius.' Bellatrix's voice asked him amused. The potions lab was very hot, since it was in the dungeons and the fire had been burning almost continuously all the while.

Lucius shook his head, his smooth smile coming onto his face. 'No, I shivered a little thinking of all the work we would have had, had this potion gone wrong. Now, we can prepare for the summoning ritual and hope that out Lord will recognize the sincerity of our call and come.'

'He will.' Bellatrix said firmly, no doubt in her face, only determination that she would by any means reach her Lord.

The next few days went in the preparation of the summoning ritual. Lucius and Bellatrix poured over the spells, runes and calculations. They chose a new moon night, because the book said that the spells would be the strongest at that time.

The night of the new moon approached. That year the new moon day fell on the 31st of May which was a Saturday. The night approached. It was dark, so dark nothing could be seen. There was no wind or rain, and it was very pleasant for May. Bellatrix checked the wards and ensured that they were working and no one outside of them, except the person whom they were calling would know of the dark activity. The ritual was usually used for summoning sprits from the other world and was not allowed by the Ministry of Magic. Bellatrix and Lucius were planning to use the potion to summon the sprit of Voldemort from this world itself and were hoping that this would be easier to do than the other.

Bellatrix and Lucius bathed and dressed in clean robes. They went out into the garden and there Bellatrix drew a largish circle and she and Lucius started muttering the spells to give the circle power. Bellatrix carefully removed a small nail; she had that apparently belonged to Voldemort and Lucius looking at the nail, shuddered. He told himself he did not want to know, why in the name of Merlin his mad, for he had concluded by this time that Bellatrix was insane, sister-in-law hoarded a small piece of nail and why was she looking at the nail with so much adoration on her face. That look did not suit her, decided Lucius, smirking to himself, as half a dozen very unkind thoughts came into his mind.

He was recalled to his present position by her, who had placed the nail in the middle of a very small circle in the middle of the big one. She twirled her wand and sealed the nail with a shield that would protect the nail and at the same time, prevent it from flying away.

Narcissa brought the potion that would give them the necessary strength to chant the spell to summon. They needed enormous strength, for they would be going against nature, in summoning a sprit for resurrection. They needed to call the sprit of Voldemort. If he came o his own, then they would not have a lot of work to do; but if he resisted, as they were sure, he would, they would need a lot of strength.

'Can we summon the Dark Lord against his wishes Bellatrix?' Lucius asked her, just as they stepped into the circle.

'Just like you, Lucius, never to see anything positive in anything.' She sneered, raising her wand, anticipation already in her face. She was impatient to meet her lord and showed that impatience to Lucius.

'Bellatrix,' Lucius said patiently. 'I am not trying to raise doubts…;

'Oh!' Bellatrix raised her eyebrows. 'Then do tell me Lucius, why are you stalling when we should have started already to bring out Lord to us; to his rightful place as the Lord of the Wizarding World?'

'Because the Master does not know we are the ones who are summoning. He will resist. And he may have plans of his own, if we bring him by force. The spells will not allow him to retreat and if he resists or tries to attack, then can we fight him and bind him as we must?'

'The moment he sees us, he will be sure that we want to only raise him from the dead. We will also stop chanting; that will prove to him, we don't wish o bind him, merely to call him.' Bellatrix said confidently, a confidence Lucius did not share with her. He chanced a look at Narcissa and saw that she too looked troubled. He took a deep breath and took his position. He could hardly do anything else.

Bellatrix had taken the primary position facing the west while Lucius was standing his back to her, facing the east. It was from the west, where the land of the sprits lay, that Voldemort would come, even if he was roaming on the earth. The spells would work like that. Lucius would stand facing the east, in a protective position, to ensure that Voldemort's sprit would not escape. Lucius was thankful that the north and south directions did not matter for this ritual, for the sprit would come and go in a particular direction, simply because they were called in that way. Otherwise he would have had to take unbreakable vows from one other person to do the ritual. Narcissa of course would have filled in the third position.

Voldemort's sprit, where ever it was and in whichever direction it was, would come from the west to into the circle, where it would be bound. Usually such sprits were called for a specific purpose, mostly for dark purposes, for revenge and hurting. The sprit would be bound to the caller, who would bind the sprit to him or herself and give it its specific tasks. Once the specific work was over it would go back to its world.

But, Lucius mused, as he started chanting, the harm and the darkness and the evil that such a calling would infuse into the sprit's temporary master, was terrible. Traces of it never went away, and since it was a mental connection, where the caller would have to force the sprit to come, using the strength of his mind and bind the sprit that was dead for some time in a place where there were no values, to one's mind and soul, would forever taint the soul and the witch or wizard would never be their old self ever again. And more horrible the deeds performed by the sprit, greater would be the darkness in the soul of the caller. And Lucius thought grimly, Bellatrix was already insane and she was calling for a Dark Lord who had made a horcrux.

They chanted steadily for sometime and then, Lucius and Bellatrix could feel something; suddenly there was a fight in their minds even as they chanted; a fight in the form of a resistance between Voldemort's sprit and their summoning. It was a good thing they had taken the potion, for they would not have had the strength to fight against the resistance Voldemort was exhibiting.

Soon they were sweating with exhaustion, even though, they had not been chanting for very long, only a couple of hours at the most, still, they were already sweating profusely as Voldemort resisted furiously. He had been in Albania, roaming in the forests; with a piece of information from Bertha Jorkins that if only he had someone who was his, could do wonders; could actually capture Harry Potter. It was at that time when he had been suddenly pulled. He realized in a second that he was being summoned and he threw his will into resisting.

But, Voldemort, powerful he though he was, could not resist the spells forever and he came raging with anger, determined to destroy the mind of the one who dared to call him, the greatest of wizards to bind him like a muggle slave. With that in mind, Voldemort rushed to the place where he had been summoned to. He swirled into the wards, not recognizing the place in his anger and descended down on the witch or wizard, who dared to summon the Dark Lord, when suddenly the chanting stopped and Voldemort felt the summons relax.

Bellatrix was sweating profusely and she felt her Master entering the wards and a great joy overtook her. In another moment, she glimpsed his spirit swirling down and she stopped chanting and lowered the wand. She beamed at him, adoration and admiration oozing out of her and bowed low.

Lucius too stopped chanting the moment Bellatrix did and turned to see Voldemort in his sprit form rushing towards them, the red eyes gleaming malevolently and silently bowed along with Narcissa.

_**End of Chapter – 27**_

_**--**_


	28. Chapter 28

Firstly I apologize for updating the next chapter so late. I have no reason, except that Real Life kept me very busy. Thanks a million for all the reviews and thank you all, for waiting so patiently for my next update. :) Hopefully I'll start updating regularly. I very much intend to finish the fic and soon too (keeps fingers crossed). :)

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

_**---------------------------------------------------------**_

_**Chapter – 28**_

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Dumbledore was very puzzled. It really had been that kind of a year. He was, now-a-days, searching for information about horcruxes; horcruxes of Voldemort about which he had had a suspicion for a very long time. But that had become a certainty, since he saw Riddle's Diary, and he had been making a concentrated effort to try and get any information he could about Voldemort's horcruxes. He was largely unsuccessful.

Snape too was trying, Dumbledore knew, about information on horcruxes and Bellatrix. But there was nothing. There were too many things puzzling Dumbledore these days. Harry was one, Bellatrix's disappearance was another (though he suspected the Malfoys to be involved in that mystery) and then there was always Snape and Dumbledore sighed. So many puzzles and usually he was so good at them, so good at finding out answers, but he was stumped now, he admitted to himself.

Harry; where to begin about that boy really; he seemed to have the power and intelligence of him, Dumbledore; so much more than a boy of thirteen years should in Dumbledore's opinion. And yet Harry seemed to balance it all. He was cheerful, intelligent, smart, friendly and kind. He had hoped that Harry would belong to him; he had liked the boy a lot and had loved his mischievous nature, chuckling to himself, remembering the horror of Severus, when Harry had hugged him.

Harry was also very puzzling; Dumbledore could not make him out; he seemed very mature for his age at times and at other times he seems to blend in with the others; he was also brilliant in magic, which was another thing that confused Dumbledore along with Harry's total acceptance of his life at the Dursleys. The Dursleys had not been kind, Dumbledore's face darkened with anger as he thought of what was surely abuse and yet it did not seem to have touched Harry. It was nothing short of a mystery, just like Harry's Occlumency.

To put it simply Dumbledore was baffled. He was distracted from his rather sombre thoughts by a noise at his window and he turned to see a mail owl flapping its wings impatiently, waiting for Dumbledore to open it. Dumbledore flicked his wand and the owl came in, dropped a letter and flew away.

It was from Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, confirming his acceptance of joining Hogwarts that year as the DADA teacher. Dumbledore smiled as he finished reading the letter. That was one worry out of the way. The Board of Hogwarts had agreed to host the Tri-Wizard Championship in Hogwarts this year and Dumbledore wanted everything to go smoothly.

The Quidditch Cup was also coming in about a week, after which Hogwarts would be busy making arrangements for the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

Beaubatons and Durmstrang would come with their champions. Dumbledore stopped there as he thought of Durmstrang. After all these years he still felt a pang go through him, at the mention of Durmstrang. That was where Gellert Grindelwald had studied and it was because he was expelled from there, that he came to Bathilda's home and showed Albus what falling in love was.

Smiling sadly and shaking his head, trying to clear it of memories which would not go away, Dumbledore stood up, and walked down to the Great Hall. It was summer time and the Hall was empty, the tables stacked against the wall. The Hall appeared huge and oddly silent without the chatter of the students. There was the aroma of delicious food wafting though the open doors and Dumbledore walked in slowly to the Staff Table and smiled at the Professors sitting there.

It was lunch time and Snape, McGonagall, Trelawney, Hagrid, were already there. Smiling at them, he sat down and turned his attention to his plate.

'Alastor has written.' He said a short while later.

Snape and McGonagall looked up at his words. "That is good Albus!" McGonagall exclaimed. "He will be helpful this year with the Triwizard Tournament and two other schools coming."

Snape did not say anything but bent down again. He had been unsuccessful to get any information from Lucius and the summer he was cut off from Harry too, which he missed! He had been shocked when he had realised that. Harry Potter! That boy had become a part of his life without his realizing it. Snape was intrigued by the boy/man and had spent many hours wondering what had happened in the future.

This year Hogwarts had decided to host the Triwizard Tournament and Dumbledore had been worried about what could happen there. Now that Bellatrix had escaped he was even more perturbed and had wanted to call the whole Tournament off, but the Board of Governors' and the Ministry of Magic had assured him that everyone would be safe. Albus had asked for Alastor Mad-Eye Moody as an extra protection, to watch over the students. His paranoia would be helpful during a year that Albus somehow felt would be extremely difficult.

Dumbledore smiled at McGonagall and then turned to Snape. 'Have you heard anything Severus?' meaning news from the Malfoys.

Snape shook his head and slowly looked up. 'I wish I did. You know about the one time I went there after the holidays started, but young Draco told me that both Lucius and Narcissa had gone out. He and Narcissa had both gone out that day, and I understood that Lucius was always working, sometimes late into the evening, which he never usually does when his only child is home for the holidays…I found his mind to be full of fear that his father was somehow involved with Bellatrix's escape.'

'Severus! You didn't!' exclaimed McGonagall, while Dumbledore remained silent.

'Of course I did!' Snape retorted, feeling no guilt. 'I read only the surface thoughts mind you, nothing deeper, just what we had been talking about and I found that his father was away almost everyday and his mother accompanied him at times and Draco had no clue what they were busy with, though I could see his suspicion about Bellatrix.'

Dumbledore turned to McGonagall who had a very disapproving expression on her face and was about to launch into a tirade. 'Bellatrix must be found at all costs Minerva.' He said sombrely, his blue eyes very serious. 'She has the capacity to resurrect Lord Voldemort.'

McGonagall gasped in shock. 'I never thought of that Albus, though when you think about it, it looks very obvious isn't it?'

Snape nodded once. 'I am sure Bellatrix had met with Narcissa, only I don't have proof. I went to meet her and Lucius, wanting to discuss about a rare potion, but they were not at home.'

McGonagall nodded back, very thoughtful. Only she and a few very senior members of the Order of the Phoenix had known that Snape was a spy for them in the first war; Dumbledore had been very careful about just who knew that.

'Well Alastor coming this year would help us a lot then.' She said, still thoughtful and just a bit frightened about Bellatrix and Voldemort.

Dumbledore nodded and they finished the rest of their meal in a rather uneasy silence before they got up to attend to their work for the beginning of the year classes, with some relief, as if moving away from there would also move them away from their problems.

------------------------

Harry spent a very dissatisfied holiday that year. Grimmauld Place was full and he joined the fun and frolic during the holidays, but his mind was very far away, with Draco, Snape, Bellatrix and Voldemort. He also had to make the decision of whether he should tell Snape about the false Mad-Eye Moody. Barty Crouch Jr. would be the one to come to Hogwarts that year as the DADA teacher and he would kill his own father who had helped him escape Azkaban. The real Moody would be alright, and they would be able to get Barty Crouch Jr. as well, but Harry was still in a dilemma about Barty Crouch Sr. He did not know how to tackle that and save the man.

He participated with all the crazy things Sirius and Remus got up for him and the other Weasleys who joined him for a part of the holidays, with an outward show of enthusiasm, but kept worrying all the time. He received no owls and he did not send any either to Snape and Draco, deciding to meet them in Hogwarts.

The big event of the holidays was the Quidditch World Cup. The day before, Harry, Sirius and Remus flooed to The Burrow and spent the night there, so that they could leave in the morning to the Quidditch Pitch. Harry entered the familiar Burrow, his second most favourite place in the whole wide world after Hogwarts; the last time it had been pushed to third place after his home in Godric's Hollow and Hogwarts in that order. Now every time Harry saw the Burrow he was amazed to find it as it had been in the last timeline. He had been to the Burrow, but not as many times as he had in the last timeline and he certainly was not as close to the Weasleys as he was, Harry thought with a pang as he shook hands with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Molly beamed at him and gave him a warm hug, but while it was informal, there was not the closeness that there had been before.

Harry knew that was his fault; he had kept away from Ron and had deliberately befriended Draco and now Harry was friendlier with the Weasley Twins than Ron or, Ginny, Harry thought sadly, as he watched her come into the room and smile shyly at them. He grinned at her and turned to talk to the Twins, who dragged him to their room to show him a few tricks of theirs, which they wanted to play on the Slytherins next year. Harry also knew they would bet with Ludo Bagman; he sighed as he was wont to do every time he came in contact with the family he had loved and which had become his own the last time around.

He walked up to Ron's room, chatted a bit about the Quidditch Cup before going to sleep. Ron was much too excited as he chattered about Krum and his prowess, while Harry was lost in thoughts; another change, he realised was the absence of Hermione; she was not invited to the Burrow, though she had planned to join them the next day, flooing to the Leaky Cauldron and taking a portkey from Diagon Alley to the World Cup site, this time Sirius, providing the tickets for Harry, Remus and Hermione, another change from last year. How Sirius had managed to get the best seats was indeed a mystery. Harry suspected he had pulled some strings with the Ministry about his unfair stay in Azkaban to ask for top seats.

The next morning, the day of the World Cup, Harry was woken up very early, and yawning and stumbling, he walked along with everyone else to the hill, to take the portkey.

As in the last timeline, they met with the Diggorys and the Lovegoods. Harry watched as they all chatted and waited for the portkey to take off. Amos Diggory was as he was the last time, but without his comments to Harry. He was still very proud of Cedric and rightfully too, Harry thought and he looked at the handsome face and hoped that in this time Cedric would live longer then he had the last time.

The portkey took off at the right time and Harry and the others landed a minute later on grass and on each other, laughing and shouting, while Mr. Weasley and Mr. Diggory and Cedric landed gracefully and perfectly. Harry got up grinning, seeing Sirius and Remus on the grass rolling with him. Really they were kids and would not grow up at all. Sirius, Harry thought was a kid still, seeing him talk mostly to the Weasley Twins and laughing a lot; Remus was laughing too, but he was more mature than Sirius.

They put up their tents, waving to the Diggorys who were planning to put up their tents a little further up. This time Sirius had offered to bring the tents and Harry watched as Sirius and Remus put up the massive tent in a couple of minutes. The Weasleys, Sirius, Remus and Harry all walked in and Harry and the Weasleys stopped at the magnificence inside. There seemed a real house inside. Harry and Ron took a bedroom, Ginny would share one with Hermione when she would arrive and the twins would have theirs.

Harry went into his bedroom and dumping his bag on to his bed and then calling to Sirius, walked out to search his way to the portkey destination from Diagon Alley. The whole place was as he remembered it. Wild looking tents, tents looking like buildings, weird looking tents were all there and Harry enjoyed his walk looking at strange tents, waving to kids and smiling at strangers.

He reached the portkey place and was hugged by Hermione who had been waiting for him for some time apparently.

'Why are you so late Harry?' she asked, as Harry took her bag and they set off to their tent.

'Oh, we just reached ourselves and I waited only for Sirius and Remus to pitch the tent, before I dumped my bag on my bed and came straight here. How long have you been waiting?' He said.

'I came some fifteen minutes ago.' She said looking all around her in amazement.

'Is our tent like this?' she asked shrinking a little at one garishly coloured tent that looked like an ugly castle and was emitting some odd smelling fumes from one of its Towers.

'No!' Harry assured her. 'Our tent looks like a muggle tent from outside. Inside, though, it is spacious and kind of big. We are almost home and you'll see for yourself.'

Hermione's expression looked more and more doubtful as she passed various tents and she was not impressed by Harry's remarks. Soon they were at their tent and Harry grinned at Hermione sigh of relief and laughed outright, when she stepped in and gasped.

The tent was huge on the inside. It had a few bedrooms, a kitchen and a drawing room, not to mention bathrooms. Almost everyone was in the drawing room and all of them shouted a greeting to her, which brought a blush to her face. She waved at everyone, accepted Sirius's hug and went to her room along with Harry and sank on her bed and looked around in amazement at the wonders an ordinary looking tent on the outside could have inside.

'How can this even be possible?' she asked Harry.

'Magic!' he replied with a grin and laughed when she hit him.

They spent the rest of the day wandering about the camp laughing at some of the more absurd tents and smiling and waving to people they did not know and chatting with those they knew. That night they went to sleep excited, knowing that they would need to get up early. Harry lay down in his bed beside a snoring Ron, wondering, if events would take place as they would the last time. He had felt his scar twitching slightly, but he had no visions, mainly because he had closed his mind.

Harry had debated a lot with himself as to whether he should or not open his mind and see Frank's death and Voldemort and Barty Crouch/Bellatrix with him, but after thinking greatly on it he had not opened his mind. He decided that he would need to visit his vault, place much of his memories especially of the last timeline into it before he could actually risk opening his mind to Voldemort.

If Voldemort even suspected anything amiss, Harry knew there would be trouble. While he had taken a lot of protective steps to ensure that his mind would be safe, he did not know how powerful the mind link would be; last time in his seventh year, he was able to peep into Voldemort's mind, now Harry wanted to do the same, but before that, he also wanted to remove his old memories. There had been no chance during the holidays and Harry did not want to try until he was safe.

The next morning Harry woke up very early and lay in bed. He wondered what the day would be. A while later, Arthur Weasley could be seen shouting for everyone to get up and Harry jumped out of bed and got ready. Before leaving, he also placed a lot of anti summoning charms to his wand and then left the tent along with the others, greeting Hermione, Sirius, Remus and the Weasleys.

Everyone was in high sprits, and talking and laughing loudly, all of them left for the Quidditch Pitch. Harry entered the stadium, his senses on high alert and looked around as they reached the box, where they would be sitting. It was the same as lat time and Harry looked around for the Malfoys and Winky. Both of them had not arrived. Yet.

Harry settled down in his seat, choosing the one closest to the seats he had seen Winky sit the last time. He would also be sitting just before Draco. Though he would not be able to talk much to him, if at all, Harry thought.

Cornelius Fudge, the pompous and incapable Minister for Magic walked into the box with his Bulgarian counterpart a few minutes later and greeted Arthur Weasley and Sirius. He did not shake hands with Remus, rather looked through him, Harry and Sirius noted angrily. The Minister looked around and saw Harry and beamed.

"Well, well, well, Harry Potter." He said loudly, smiling, and extended his hand. Harry shook it gingerly, trying not to let his dislike show. "Mr. Fudge." He said, trying to smile. It came off more as a grimace. Cornelius Fudge, though, did not notice. He beamed at Harry and introduced the Bulgarian Minister to Harry particularly and to everyone else generally and escorted him to his seat.

Harry remembered that the Bulgarian Minister knew English, but was pretending not to and watched amused at Fudge's attempts to explain many things. Harry sat down and looked around. There was no Winky and an empty seat beside her still. He wondered when he saw Mr. Barty Crouch Sr. walk in briskly to talk to Fudge. Harry tried to overhear, but it was difficult with the noise around him and he gave it up as a bad job, when Mr. Crouch shook hands with Fudge and the Bulgarian Minister and walked out again.

Harry was very curious to know what Barty Crouch had done with his son, but he had to keep quiet; he could not ask, naturally. He sighed inwardly and turned his attention to the crowd, when he heard a soft drawl behind him. Harry went quite still, before he turned to see the Malfoy family. Lucius Malfoy, his wife Narcissa and Draco, the Malfoy family was there. Harry stared at Draco for just a minute before turning his attention to the elder Malfoy, who had finished greeting Fudge and was looking sardonically at him. Harry's eyes narrowed just a little bit and he looked back at Lucius, allowing a small sarcastic smile to fall on his face, thinking of the Diary.

Lucius seemed unperturbed by the hostile looks he was getting from the Weasleys, as he slightly dipped his head in an inquiring manner and murmured 'Harry Potter!' As if he had only just heard of him and was seeing him for the first time. Harry stared back and glared at Fudge as he finished bowing and greeting Narcissa, who looked as if she was trying hard not to throw up and was now asking Lucius Malfoy to sit down. Arthur Weasley had by then forced his children to sit down in their seats and Remus was trying to make Harry do the same. Sirius had glared at Lucius and hearing Narcissa's mild sniff, was now almost growling at her and glaring at Draco, alternatively. Draco was very quiet. He was between his parents and after looking at Harry, he was trying to blend into nothingness. He did not look up at Sirius, but was staring with fascination at his hands, which lay clenched in his lap, betraying his tension.

'Well, well! You know Harry Potter!' Fudge had boomed.

Lucius nodded carelessly. 'Who doesn't know the _Boy-Who-Lived_?' emphasising slightly on the words "Boy-Who-Lived" making it sound insulting.

'Yes!' nodded Fudge, not seeing the way Sirius's and Harry's expressions had changed. 'He is the Boy-Who-Lived. The boy who vanquished He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.'

Lucius nodded. 'Indeed! Mr. Potter has rendered great service to the Wizarding World. We must all be grateful to him.' He said with a laugh and watched amused as Fudge nodded his head, oblivious of the sarcasm in Lucius's voice. He was about to reply, when the announcements started and he turned away, leaving a tense group glaring at an amused Lucius Malfoy.

Sirius was about to jump on him, snarling, when Remus dragged him back and had whispered urgently to him. Arthur had done the same with Harry. 'He's not worth it Harry. We've come here to enjoy the game. Let's not allow him to spoil it for us.'

Harry had sat down, reluctantly, glancing one more time at Lucius and Narcissa, who was looking as disdainful as possible. Harry thought he could just see a hint of worry in her eyes. Harry's eyes narrowed as he turned away to enjoy the game, which went on like last time. Ireland won, though Victor Krum of Bulgaria caught the snitch amidst great cheer. Harry saw the Twins cornering Ludo Bagman and turned to see the Malfoys rising to leave. Harry and the others also stood up shouting excitedly about the game. As they turned to leave Harry noticed there was no sign of Winky or indeed anyone else. Barty Crouch Jr. had not come. The Malfoys left with Draco, who gave Harry a brief look, before he turned to follow his mother, his father walking ahead of them with Fudge.

Harry was completely flummoxed. His head was spinning with all kinds of things. Why had Winky not come? Where was Barty Crouch Jr.? Why did not Barty Crouch Sr. bring him to the game? Then the Dark Mark? Who would make it appear in the sky? Harry wondered for a second, if Lucius would cast it, feeling frustrated. What would happen today? Why had it not happened like the last time?

The rest were chattering happily abut the most spectacular match. 'Did you see it Harry?" Ron asked, from behind.

'Err... What?" Harry turned startled out of his thoughts and he hastily summoned a weak smile.

'The fantastic chase Kipper gave Krum when he was…" Harry nodded and grinned at all the right places, when suddenly there was a loud noise, almost like an explosion. All of them looked at each other as Arthur and Sirius just paused for a minute before setting off almost at a run towards the noise, nodding at Remus, who did not waste a minute as he started leading them towards their tents. Harry's heart began to pound as he ran with the others. Soon they reached their tents and packed up quickly. Remus brought down the tent and in five minutes, all of them hurried out, wondering and slightly scared about the explosion.

The noise, panicked screams and the shouts were completely different from the excited shouts and chatter that was present only a few minutes before. People were hurrying just like they were; all of them trying to get to the portkeys and get to their homes as quickly as possible, when suddenly there was a scream and a loud clear voice shouted _"Morsmordre"_. People stopped hurrying and as one looked up into the sky where there was a frightening skull with a snake from its mouth. The Dark Mark. A moment later, there were louder screams and frenzied shouts as mothers called to their children and fathers packed up the tents, before running to the nearest exits.

But Remus did not allow them to stop and stare. He hurried all of them to the place from where they would take their portkeys and waited there for their turn without allowing them to ask questions saying that he would answer them when they reached home safely. They ran to the portkey point and managed to get hold of their portkey and then they were swirling through the air and landed in the woods near the Burrow. Remus herded all of them until they reached the Burrow. He explained shortly what happened to a surprised and rather shocked Molly who was in the kitchen and had not been expecting them so early. Telling Molly that they would be in touch, Remus, Harry and Hermione flooed to Grimmauld place. From there, Remus waited only to tell Harry not to leave the house for any reason whatsoever and hurried out with Hermione, not even giving her the time to say her goodbyes to Harry properly. He dropped her at her home before heading back to the Quidditch Stadium to help Sirius and others.

The Quidditch Stadium was in utter chaos. Some Aurors were running into the Stadium from portkey destinations, towards the Dark Mark sign on the sky. While others had stood by the portkey destinations and were checking the wands of every one who was leaving and at the same time trying to stop the panic among the people. Harry and Co. were the few people who had managed to leave the Stadium without detection, since they had left within minutes of the appearance of the Dark Mark. Sirius, Remus, Arthur, Barty Crouch Sr. and other Ministry officials were rushing among the people and trying to help them pack and point them towards the portkeys and at the same time trying to keep a look out for anyone suspicious. But there was no one.

It was well into the evening before Sirius and Remus came back to Grimmauld Place. Both of them looked extremely tired and exhausted. Harry took one look at them, before he pushed them into the kitchen and filled their plates with the food he had cooked and kept under warming charms. He did not ask any questions until they had finished eating and was about to open his mouth, when Sirius smiled tiredly. "I'll be a minute Harry. Let me just have a wash. I'll tell you everything then." Remus nodded and ruffled Harry's hair and Harry was made to wait for some more time before Sirius and Remus came down cleaner but still tired.

'What happened, Sirius, Remus?" Harry asked anxiously, unable to wait anymore. He had stayed in Grimmauld Place and had obeyed Remus's order's, not wanting to go back, since that place would be swarming with Aurors, Ministry officials and Order members, not to mention Death Eaters. He had waited in patience and all alone for Sirius and Remus to come and tell him what happened.

"Six people were killed Harry and some twenty people are injured." Sirius said abruptly, making Harry gasp in shock. How had that happened? No one had died last time. "Merlin! How?" he asked and a second later, "Is it anyone we know?"

"No kid." Sirius said, and Harry felt terribly ashamed of the relief he felt. While those who had died today were not known to Harry, they were still people with families who would be mourning them. "How did they die?"

"We heard a huge explosion, did we not?" Remus answered Harry, who nodded. "Someone had cast an exploding spell at the Stadium, and a small part it collapsed. Luckily the strong spells placed on it by the Ministry workers held fast and the people who died were those exiting it. Otherwise more people would have been affected."

"Who was it? Was he caught?" Harry asked eagerly.

Remus shook his head. "No Harry. We don't know who they were and how they were able to cast such powerful spells. Six innocent people whose only fault was to come to the Quidditch Cup died." He finished bleakly.

The rest of the holidays were spent quietly and it was with some relief Harry got ready for his fourth year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

_**End of Chapter – 28**_

_**--------------------------**_


	29. Chapter 29

The wonderful world of Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.

After a long time! Real Life got to me in a way I could not avoid and I am sorry I have delayed so much in publishing the next chapter. Hopefully I can now get on with the story and complete it, which has always remained my intention. Thanks to all my wonderful readers, who waited patiently all this while. I hope I will not keep you waiting this long again.

_**Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past**_

_**Chapter – 29**_

Voldemort had come rushing to kill whoever it was who was calling him. He was terribly confused and did not know whom to trust and who not to. He had been alone and this pull had initially frightened him and then had greatly angered him. So he had decided to wreck those who had dared call him. He swirled as he came to those who called him and found that he had come to a place he had lived for long periods of time and he grew furious, thinking that someone had broken into his most loyal follower's home, and was now trying to trap him as well. He bore down in rage and then paused when he saw three people he knew very well; three people who lowered their wands the moment they saw him, all three of them bowing very low. Bellatrix, Lucius and Narcissa.

He frowned, confused, as he veered away from possessing and killing his most loyal and beloved follower and circled all of them a couple of times before coming to float near Bellatrix. There was a silence that was thick with all kinds of emotions running through that little group. Bellatrix was ecstatic, naturally, and her eyes simply glowed as she took in the spirit form of Voldemort. Happiness bubbled up in her and she bowed down once again before standing straight and slowly extending a hand towards him. She touched his spirit which she could not feel and saw him slowly change to become a small ugly baby falling to the ground and hitting it with a pained squeal. She smiled with happiness when she realised her Lord had decided to trust her.

For a second, all the three death eaters were stunned; seeing their Master change, then Bellatrix hurried to pick him up. She bent down and picked him up gently and held him closely. "Master!" she breathed softly. "You are in safe hands, My Lord, and we shall have you resurrected in no time to your former glory." She said walking swiftly inside, leaving Lucius to clean up behind her. Narcissa hesitated for second, deliberating whether to go in with her sister or stay with her husband, but Lucius did not allow her to decide; he nodded his head sharply, gesturing her to go inside with Bellatrix.

Narcissa followed her sister inside. She was shocked within, even as she strove for a blank, even eager face. While Lucius has been a death eater, it had been different somehow. Narcissa did not know how they had endured their Lord, only that they had, proudly even, but as she despaired of her situation then, she wondered for a second how they had been so agreeable to be branded like slaves to this man, proud purebloods like her. Then, all of a sudden their Lord had been defeated by a mere one year old baby, giving her years of a peace she was now loath to give up. She had got used to the life without Voldemort and she wanted it to stay that way. She knew it would only be a matter of time before Draco got dragged into it and that she wanted to avoid at all cost.

Bellatrix was seated with Voldemort on her lap. Her face was filled with adoration as she looked down on the baby in her lap. The baby was hairless and ugly; repulsive, Narcissa felt, and she immediately removed that thought from her mind, filling it with reverence; she knew about her Lord's capacity to read minds and she had made a grave mistake in allowing her thoughts to wander earlier; if it been the Dark Lord of old, she knew she would been at the very least _Crucioed_ for them, if not killed outright for the betrayal he would have seen. She stood deferentially but silently, watching her sister fawn over Lord Voldemort. Lucius came in almost at once and he went to his wife and after a minute, both sat down with Bellatrix. The three of them were silent, waiting for Voldemort to speak.

Voldemort was sitting on Bellatrix's lap, had his eyes closed. He seemed to be listening to something or meditating and after a while he slowly opened his eyes. 'Tell me!" he whispered.

All three started and then Bellatrix and Narcissa fell silent as Lucius began the story of the Boy-Who-Lived, giving a detailed account of the Wizarding World in the dozen years Voldemort had been off the radar. He was careful to mention how he was striving to keep himself politically powerful, so that his Lord may benefit when He returned. When he fell silent, Bellatrix started speaking about her years in Azkaban and the death eaters who were still languishing there for following their Master. Voldemort's eyes flashed, but he remained silent, listening to her escape and her subsequent contact with the Malfoys. Then she continued with the potion they had made to call him so that they could resurrect him.

There was silence as Voldemort contemplated all he had learnt and then turning his red eyes to Lucius he asked.

'Who else knows?"

"No one My Lord! I refused to allow Lucius to inform anyone." Bellatrix answered before Lucius could get in a word. He glared at her and said 'I did not want to inform anyone My Lord! Well', he swallowed a little and then went on, "No one except Snape!" seeing Bellatrix beginning to interrupt, he continued hastily, "I have kept a careful watch over him and I feel he is true to our cause, even though he carefully walks close to Dumbledore, trying to get as much information from him as possible."

"_I_ was not sure, Master!" Bellatrix said loftily, smirking at Lucius as he glared once more at her. 'So I refused to allow him to contact Snape to help us with the potion. While I know he could have made the potion right the first time, Master I did not want to take chances. If you will permit us, Master, we can resurrect you as quickly as possible." She finished and then there was only silence for sometime as Voldemort processed everything Bellatrix and Lucius told him.

"I need some time to think about my next step, yes even to resurrect Bellatrix; I need to think about the way to do it. I am tired now and I need to rest. We will speak in the morning." He said and allowed Bellatrix to take him to a room. Narcissa followed Bellatrix and helped to place the ugly baby on a bed and after making the ugly baby as comfortable as they could, they waited until they were dismissed by Lord Voldemort. The moment they were dismissed, Narcissa returned to the living room followed by Bellatrix, tired, but triumphant, where a worried Lucius was waiting for them. Voldemort had said nothing about Snape and he was worried that he may have said the wrong thing. But he could not do anything; he knew Snape was loyal; he had helped Lucius in such way with the Diary that Lucius knew Snape was with them. But he could not tell Voldemort that, naturally, so he was looking for a way to bring Snape in and pass on the information that the Diary was no longer in his custody.

'You come early tomorrow, Lucius! The Master will want to see us and make decisions about his resurrection." Bellatrix told him and without wasting more time or words Lucius and Narcissa left for their home. They did not speak once they reached their home and simply went to bed, too tired to even express their worry and fear.

The next morning dawned nice and bright and Lucius woke up to find his wife looking at him with a worried frown on her face. "Should I come today?" she asked him, the moment she determined he was fully awake and looked very relieved when he shook his head.

"Oh Lucius!" she whispered, taking his hand. "I am so worried. What have we done?" she swallowed a bit and whispered, "Draco!" Lucius paled and then hugged her lightly.

"Shh!" He said, not wanting to talk about Voldemort now that he had returned, unnerved and so scared that he felt that his Lord could somehow be privy to personal conversations inside their bedroom, and ignoring for the time being about Draco's position. He was determined Draco would form no part of this life; it was enough he and Narcissa were dragged into it, thanks to his misguided principles in his youth. 'It'll be fine Cissy. You are not to worry."

"Draco?" she repeated softly. He smiled wryly and told her again. "It'll be fine… for all of us, including Draco. Don't worry Narcissa. Please." The last word came out softly, pleading her, asking her to understand something he could not clearly understand himself.

Lucius got ready and went to floo Lestrange Manor, when he was informed by Bellatrix that Voldemort was resting and he would call when he was ready to speak to Lucius. Biting his lips Lucius returned home to wait nervously for his Lord's summons. It was three days before he got the summons to go to the Lestrange home. Bellatrix poked her head cautiously and called out to Lucius. Lucius Malfoy had blocked the floo access to everyone except Bellatrix, once he had returned home. Lucius Malfoy was reading The Daily Prophet and he was shocked for a moment when he saw a girl with red hair, calling out to him. Seeing no one else in the room, Bella removed the glamour and smirked at a panicked Lucius who had been ready to curse the unknown witch, forgetting no one else except Bellatrix could access Malfoy Manor through the floo.

"Why Lucius, you seemed rather scared!" Bellatrix taunted him, as she stepped into the room, before stiffening a bit. "No one else here?" she asked looking around, and swiftly re-applied her glamour, swiftly, just as Narcissa came into the room and stood for a moment in shock when she saw a stranger in the room. Her eyes darted to Lucius and she knew from his face just who this stranger was at once. "Bella!" she smiled, walking towards her, holding her hands in welcome.

"Cissy!" she smiled back, her affection showing for Narcissa. "Where is Draco?"

"He has gone outside to fly for a while." She replied, carefully, not looking at Lucius.

"How is our Lord, Bella?" Lucius asked, looking extremely concerned, while he hoped his Lord had died. No such luck and Bella smiled again. "He is fine Lucius. He wants to meet you. That was why I came. Come; let us not keep him waiting." She waved to Narcissa, who was trying not to show how worried she was as she waved back at her sister and tuned to her husband. But he was not looking at her. "I'll see you soon Narcissa." He said formally, giving her a small kiss on her cheek and, still avoiding her eyes, he followed Bella into the floo.

"Mother!" said Draco banging the door open, his face all flushed and red from the flying he had done and Narcissa jumped a mile into the air and clutched her chest, when she saw who it was. Draco frowned seeing his mother react so and then noticed the floo coming back to its normal colour from the green indicating that the floo had been used just a minute before and knew that someone had come and gone. "Where is Father?" he asked, casually, seeing that his mother was not going to say anything.

His mother's face crunched up in worry. "He's just gone out Draco. Go upstairs and get out of these sweaty clothes." She said, trying to smile.

Draco looked at his mother for a long moment and turned away, angry with himself. He was angry enough to hit himself; he could have just come in just a bit earlier and peeped in from the windows first, he may have learned something. But he had to be flying happily, when something important had happened. He had nothing to give Harry except his suspicions and without some kind of proof, he knew that's all they would be, suspicions. Walking into his room, he banged his fist on the side table, totally frustrated.

His father did not appear until late evening. Draco and Narcissa were in the sitting room, playing a game of chess, when Lucius stepped out of the floo. Narcissa stood up at once, with a soft "we'll play later Draco, now go up to your room," and walked towards her husband.

"Later Narcissa." Lucius told her, before slumping in a very ungainly manner on the sofa and closing his eyes, in a gesture of utter defeat. Both Narcissa and Draco looked at each other, before Narcissa called Kreacher and told him to bring a steaming cup of tea. A minute later an old elf popped in with a cup of tea for Lucius. Narcissa summoned a vial and poured in the contents of that vial into the tea and placing a warming charm on it, waited for Lucius to open his eyes.

After a few minutes Lucius sat up and slowly took the cup of tea from his wife and sipped it. The pepper up potion inside it, made him feel slightly better and he smiled at Draco, who was looking at him with alarm.

'Father!" said Draco came close to Lucius and knelt by his side. "Are you... are you alright?" he asked a worried look in his eyes.

"Yes, Draco." Lucius answered smiling wearily. "I am merely tired. Today was a tough day with many meetings." placing his cup on the centre table, Lucius closed his eyes once more. Draco was about to ask him something, when Narcissa placed a finger on her lips. "Go and play in your room Draco. Father is tired and you will not disturb him."

Draco stood up and silently left the room, shutting the door and then walking away a few steps, before removing his shoes and walking back to the closed door and trying to listen. But he could not hear a thing and after a few seconds walked away to his room.

Meanwhile Narcissa closed the door and looked at Lucius, terror and worry on her face.

"What can I say Narcissa?" Lucius asked tiredly. "I joined for the power and now it looks like I cannot leave and the power too will be controlled, so much that there will be no power at all. I joined with such hope….hope for our world, to keep the muggleborns away and now thanks to no one, I've become entangled in a mess. Even the muggleborns should be kept away argument is now null and void, seeing they are people who belonged to us in the first place." Lucius fell silent and Narcissa sat down next to him and held his hand, trying to comfort him.

A small pause later, Lucius continued. "I am scared Cissy." He told her softly, none of the Malfoy pride in his face. She trembled and tried to stop the tears that ran down her face. "We'll come out of this Lucius alive and well. We will." She said trying to convince herself along with him.

"How?'

"I don't know." She answered in a tortured voice. "But we'll do it. We have to Lucius, if not for us, for Draco." After a small pause, she slowly stroked his hand and whispered, "What happened?"

"The Dark Lord is slowly regaining his strength", Lucius said slowly, "He has plans, but has not revealed them yet." After another small silence he continued, "Even if he does, I fear it'll not be beneficial to us. Right now, I cannot see any way out of this." He finished with a sigh, remembering that morning.

* * *

Lucius Malfoy had followed Bellatrix into the Manor and saw the Dark Lord as a small ugly baby, carefully placed in a sofa. He bowed low and with a smile went to stand deferentially near Voldemort's chair. Bellatrix came and stood on the other side and then Voldemort had started talking.

'I feel weak, Lucius." He had hissed. "Come and give me news about my not so faithful death eaters who are still outside."

Lucius had started with a list. "There are not many my Lord, but those of us who are free have been waiting for the day we would be called." He explained slickly, stopping as Voldemort chuckled harshly.

"Have been waiting!" he said derisively. "Waiting with all comforts, even as I suffered ... suffered terribly Luciussss."

Lucius Malfoy wisely did not answer, looking down with a look of contrition on his face. Voldemort let the silence stand for sometime, before he snapped, "Continue."

"My Lord, there are a few of us outside. Apart from me, there is Severus in Hogwarts, McNair and Avery in the Ministry, Rookwood with the unspeakables…"

'Stop!" hissed Voldemort. "I have no wish to hear how well you have been all these years, with secure positions in the Ministry, while pretending to be angered about what happened to me."

"My Lord, I am sorry, I did not mean to..."

"Mean to what Lucius? Mock?" Voldemort said harshly, refusing to listen to Lucius's protests. "I said stop!" Lucius stopped abruptly, his head bowed in surrender as Voldemort stared at him.

"I wish to return to my body." He said after a horrible pause, where Lucius had been sure, he would be cursed by Bellatrix on Voldemort's orders.

Lucius blinked, nodded, when he saw Voldemort looking at him and saw Bellatrix's head bob up and down from the corner of his eyes, as she simpered, really Lucius thought, repulsed at her look of adoration. His attention turned to Voldemort as he began to speak again.

"Severus is loyal to my cause. He was about to reveal himself as my follower when he was about to kill Potter, as I possessed the boy and ordered him to use the Avada Kedavra. But before he could, I was pushed from that boy due to his mudblood mother's sacrifice. That mudblood's blood sacrifice is stopping me every time I get near to kill that dratted boy. This time, I have decided to use that boy's blood to resurrect and then kill him."

"Severus could bring the boy to you My Lord." Bellatrix's eyes gleamed as she thought of Voldemort's resurrection to his body.

'I do not want Severus's place to be compromised until Dumbledore is safe six feet under the ground. His place in the Hogwarts will become more important, once I remove the boy and start the real war. He will be required to stay on with Dumbledore."

"But how will we get the boy?" both Lucius and Bellatrix asked at the same time, confusion in their eyes and voices.

Voldemort's red eyes gleamed. "The Tri-Wizard Tournament."

Lucius's eyes cleared and he smiled, nodding, as Voldemort continued. "I will remain in hiding here along with Bella until then. I will resurrect on the day of the last Task, when the Boy will be brought to me."

"We must make sure the Boy is entered into the competition and that he is chosen as Champion for that." Bellatrix said.

"Severus can do it My Lord." Lucius said. Voldemort shook his head. "I do not wish it Lucius. I do not want Dumbledore to be in any way suspicious of Severus. We must use someone else. You have time until before the names are called." He told Lucius flatly.

Lucius, Bellatrix and Voldemort spent the day discussing. Voldemort retired to take rest a couple of times, but since he had not dismissed Lucius, Lucius had dared not leave. It was not until evening, that Voldemort gave him permission, asking him to come again in the morning. Lucius had bowed and left at once, relived and his head full of all the plans. He had escaped, but knew that he had already been drawn into the Circle and this time, and after a gap of freedom and Voldemort free years, he was resentful and angry. But he also did not know what to do.

He sighed, coming back to the present sitting with Narcissa, and trying to absorb some kind of security and happiness from her and failing. He realised those had already been taken from him and his family by Voldemort's return. Draco joined them for dinner, and Lucius smiled and acted as normally as he could, but he was sure, he was failing, for both Draco looked anxious and Narcissa looked worried and both spoke little.

Seeing the tear tracks on her face, which she had not bothered to clean, Draco was horrified. He realised that it must have been some terrible news for his mother to forget to clean her face and even worse for his father not to notice it. He badly wanted to ask them, but knew instinctively that he would not get a right answer, if he would get an answer at all and finishing his food, excused himself and went to his room, where he spent the rest of the night uneasily, wondering what had happened and how he could find out. But he was unable to, for his parents would not talk in front of him and we're always careful to use privacy charms when they did speak to each other.

Draco went to his room and sat there, knowing that his parents were in trouble. He guessed it was to do with Bellatrix's escape and he was sure his parents were in some way involved in it. The rest of the holidays went by, with Lucius disappearing in the morning and not returning until late in the evening, with the Malfoy Manor in almost tense silence all the time. Draco was extremely relieved, when the time came for him to leave for Hogwarts.

* * *

Over the next few days Voldemort updated himself with the current affairs of the Wizarding World and grilled Lucius about the Ministry, Hogwarts and the wizarding public. He and Bellatrix took Voldemort to little Hangleton and Lucius watched as Bellatrix killed Frank, the gardener on Voldemort's orders. The killing of people who did no harm to anyone else had begun. Strangely Lucius was not as uncaring as he was during the first war, as he saw the man killed. The poor caretaker had only been doing his job.

Once he got the old caretaker out of the way, Voldemort had begun fortifying the old home with wards and other protective charms. When Lucius saw Frank fall, a look of surprise and shock on his face, he had not wanted to see this man, this muggle to die he thought with a start; and that had shocked him more than Frank's death itself. Lucius had begun to change, but now he had no choice. It was a bitter Lucius Malfoy who apparated back to the Lestrange home that evening.

The days went by, when one day, a couple of weeks after Voldemort had arrived, Bellatrix, received a letter. That had shocked her and she drew her wand, casting various spells on the letter and then warily opening it. Her eyes widened as she read and her jaw hung in shock.

"What is it Bellatrix?" Voldemort asked curious at her expression.

In return she started reading.

_Dear Bellatrix,_

_It is I, Barty; Barty crouch Jr. Yes indeed it is I, Bella. My mother and I exchanged when she came to see me at Azkaban and my father has kept me under the Imperius since then. I have shaken it off now and then, and today I have finally been able to write to you, placing my father under the same curse he subjected me to. I heard you escaped and I know you are not dead. I would like to meet you in person and soon. Together we'll resurrect our Lord and continue our work for him. Tell me where I can meet you and I will bring food and a few other things in case you have not been able to meet with Narcissa or get into your old home._

_Barty._

There was an amazed silence as all three of them contemplated what this letter could be. Real or a hoax.

"Send him a portkey." Voldemort said suddenly.

"My Lord?" Bellatrix stammered.

"Send it to him, and place a secret binding spell that will activate at landing. If he is his dear father or anyone else from the Ministry, well we can take care of it." Voldemort said, his red eyes gleaming nastily.

Bellatrix laughed and went to prepare the portkey, which she sent off to Barty Crouch Jr. with a short note which revealed nothing of where she was hiding. It was late evening; Lucius was on the verge of leaving for his home, when someone landed in the living room. Bellatrix and Lucius stood at once, their wands drawn and in front of Voldemort, ready to kill, when they saw Barty Crouch Jr. Barty landed perfectly and saw him being bound in invisible ropes at once. Bella stunned him and checked him for curses and then checked his forearm. The dark mark could be seen, just like it was in her hand, not as faint as it was before, but still not restored to its former frightening glory.

She looked at Voldemort and nodded. He was Barty Crouch Jr.

"Enervate him." Voldemort said, his red eyes looking keenly at the stunned death eater. He looked pale and was very thin and Voldemort watched as he opened his eyes and looked around.

Barty Crouch Jr's eyes widened seeing Voldemort and he smiled, when he understood his Master was there already. "Master!" he exclaimed joyously.

Voldemort smiled at his loyalty and continued to smile as Bellatrix removed his binds and Barty Crouch Jr. stood up and came close to Voldemort, knelt, and kissed his robes, or rather the blanket that was covering him. Voldemort looked pleased. He ordered Barty to tell his story and Barty obliged, ending his narration with, "Master, I have been successful in removing the Imperius my father," he spat, his eyes flashing as he thought of his father, "And yesterday, I took my father by surprise, attacked him and removing his wand, placed him under the Imperius, just as he did to me, all these years." Barty Crouch said triumphantly. "I set him to do his duties and wrote the letter to Bellatrix. I am at your service Master." He finished simply.

Voldemort smiled. "I know what you can do. Become the DADA teacher at Hogwarts this year and perform two tasks. One, ensure Harry Potter's name will be chosen as a competitor in the Tri-Wizard Tournament that will be hosted at Hogwarts this year. Make sure he wins the Cup. Change the Cup into a portkey at the end of the third task and bring the boy to me at the graveyard, where using his blood, I shall resurrect." Turning to Lucius, Voldemort added, "Assist him."

Lucius nodded and bowed and Barty Crouch Jr. bowed as well. "It will be done Master." He said fervently.

"Leave now, Barty." Voldemort hissed. "Control your father and make sure he never breaks off the Imperius like you did."

Barty visited Voldemort one more time to inform him that he had indeed secured the DADA post. He would be going in place of Alastor Moody, who was now in his trunk, alive for the sole purpose of providing hair for polyjuice.

"Kill him, at the end of the year, a leaving gift to Dumbledore, once your job in Hogwarts is over." Voldemort ordered. "I do not wish you to speak to Severus, Avery, Rookwood or any other. If you have any problem, approach Lucius or come here. Until I resurrect and call my death eaters I wish to remain a secret." He turned to Lucius. "I know you trust Severus and I think he's loyal as well. But, Lucius, for now I _shall_ remain a secret. Tell that to your wife as well." His eyes flashed and he added in a low menacing voice. "Is that understood?"

"Yes, My Lord." Lucius, trembled as he bowed. "Severus shall not hear about you or your plans from me or Narcissa."

* * *

'Bye Sirius! Remus!' He shouted the Hogwarts Express gathered speed. Sirius and Remus waved and shouted in return but their voices were lost in the general noise. Harry stepped back from the window and smiled; Sirius and Remus had run alongside the train as usual and had stopped only when the train turned around the bend. Harry turned and walked along the corridor until he came to the carriage where Hermione, Neville, Luna were sitting and threw himself happily on the seat, grinning at them. He had seen them during the holidays, which had become long and quite unbearable by the end. Harry had ached to go to Hogwarts; this was the year Voldemort came back to life in the old timeline at the end of the Tri Wizard Tournament and Harry was terribly restless. Sirius and Remus had wondered about his restlessness once or twice, but they had let it go, when Harry had apparently settled down.

'How was France?' he now asked a beaming Hermione.

'Fine' she replied smiling. 'I've been there before you know, this time it was partially official, for Daddy attended a conference in Paris for a couple of days and then we stayed over for a few more days before returning.'

'I stayed at home with Gran.' Neville said grinning at Harry. "You know that already."

Harry grinned back at him. How much he had changed; Neville in the old timeline had not shown the confidence this Neville had and Harry was very happy for him.

They spent the time chatting and before they knew it, they had arrived at the little station at Hogsmeade. Bellatrix had almost become old news; a disease that was making all of them uncomfortable when they thought of it, so they tried not to think of her and her escape at all, as days went by. They went through the inevitable topics of the Quidditch Cup and what happened there, of Dark Marks and their significance and everything. Harry joined them now and then but he was eager to reach Hogwarts and see Snape and get the real news about Voldemort and Bellatrix. He also wanted to see Draco and Dumbledore, even though he knew Draco would not talk to him openly and he could not talk to Dumbledore openly. Harry smiled as he thought of the astonishment Dumbledore would have when he knew what had happened with Harry and how he came to the past. Of course Harry desperately hoped that all of them would live and Voldemort's final demise would not cause their deaths all over again.

Harry and his friends got out at the station at Hogsmeade and walked towards the threstal carriages and got into one of them, and soon they were swiftly taken to the School. They got down, Harry searching all over for Draco, but unable to find him and walked into the Great Hall and sat down with Hermione and Neville, when he saw Draco sitting along with his friends, looking straight at him. Harry nodded once and watching Draco turning his face away, turned his attention to the Staff Table, to find that Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall were watching him. Harry smiled at Snape, who predictably scowled, before looking at Dumbledore and McGonagall and smiling at them as well. They smiled back in return, rather, Dumbledore smiled back at him and McGonagall twitched her lips just a bit. There was one seat empty for the DADA Professor and as the noise levels rose to unmanageable levels, McGonagall stepped down and tapped her wine glass with her wand sternly, before walking down to receive the new students for the year.

Once the Sorting Hat sang its song and the first years sorted, Dumbledore told all of them to tuck in. Harry grinned at Dennis Creevey, when he flapped to the Gryffindor table, almost submerged in Hagrid's moleskin coat; Harry realised Dennis had, like last time, fallen into the Lake this time too.

When they had all finished, Dumbledore stood up. "Now that we all are fed and watered, I would like your attention to a few notices. Mr Filch has asked me to tell you that a few more objects are forbidden inside the castle, which he has kindly added to his list, available to those interested, in his office. I would like to, as I do every year, remind you that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to all students."

Here it comes Harry thought as Dumbledore looked around the Great Hall and continued. "It is also my painful duty to inform you that the inter house Quidditch Cup is cancelled this year. This is because of an event that will be starting in October and continuing all through the School year."

At that moment the doors of the Great Hall slammed open and the false Mad-Eye Moody walked in. False last time thought Harry; well he would know soon enough, the moment he checked the Map, and he would do so once he left the Great Hall. Meanwhile Mad-Eye Moody had stumped up to the Staff Table and was shaking hands with Dumbledore, before seating himself, nodding to McGonagall. Dumbledore turned once again to the students, who were still gaping at Mad-Eye Moody. As Dumbledore continued where he left of, informing the students about the Tri-Wizard Tournament the reason for the Quidditch Cup being cancelled that year, Harry stared at Mad-Eye Moody, whose blue orb was rotating rather fiercely all over the Great Hall, coming to rest upon him every two minutes. Harry smiled a small smile the first time this happened and then he watched impassively the false Auror.

Finally Dumbledore finished with his announcement and dismissed the students, who left talking loudly, in many cases indignantly about the cancellation of the Quidditch matches. Harry listened to all this as he left with his friends. Once they were in their common room, Harry pretended to be tired, even as he whispered to Hermione and Neville.

"I am just going to our classroom to wait for Draco."

Neville frowned. "Alone? Are you sure it's wise Harry? At this time?"

Harry frowned at Neville's words. "What do you mean Nev?"

Neville sighed. "With _her_ still missing?" he continued hastily when Harry was about to intervene. "What if Draco's mind has been brainwashed in the last two months?"

Harry stayed quiet for a long moment. "I agree. But we'll never know unless we meet him, and while I don't mind you and Hermione coming along with me, I thought it would be better if you're both here, so that no one would miss me. You can make excuses for where I am if asked by anyone. I'll be careful Nev. Don't worry."

Neville sighed again. He knew whatever he said would not change Harry's mind. He nodded. "Be very careful until you're sure alright?"

"Sure Nev." Harry said easily as he slipped the invisibility cloak over him and loped off. While he did need Neville and Hermione to cover for him when he was away meeting with Draco, he knew it was not just because of that he was going alone. Draco would talk more freely to him if he was alone, than when he was with Hermione and Neville.

Harry slipped out in the commotion of the New Year greetings and meetings and once he was in a corridor all alone, he changed and flashed to the corridor where the room he usually met Draco was. He changed back and he walked to the room, removing his invisibility cloak at the entrance, opened the door and peeped in. He smiled with relief when he saw an anxious and nervous Draco standing with his wand out and looking all around him.

"Hey!" Harry said as he walked into the room and closed the door, startling Draco, who jumped and almost sent off a hex.

"Merlin!" he said clutching his chest with his left hand. "Don't scare me so."

"Sorry!" Harry smiled. "How are you? How have the holidays been to you?" he asked coming close to Draco and carefully scrutinising him.

It was as if a dam had opened and all the restrictions of the holidays removed. Draco started spilling everything that happened that holiday, finishing bitterly, "I had to be flying outside when someone came and went. It could have been her for all you know or it could have even been _Him._" He shuddered, thinking of Voldemort.

Harry listened silently and then he was quiet for a little while, as he thought through what Draco had told him. All suspicions only, but pretty strong ones he thought. He was sure Bellatrix had been a visitor to the Malfoy home more than once and perhaps they had also come into contact with the baby Voldemort, in which case Barty Crouch Jr. was also in the know. "I think you are correct Draco. I am sure your Aunt has been in touch with your Dad and Mum."

"I am sure she is. I saw my Mother with tear tracks Harry, you don't know how strange that is. She was so worried that she had actually forgotten to wipe her tears and she was not aware of that fact in front of me and my Father did not even notice that." He hesitated a little and then straightened his shoulders. "I think my father is also on the same page as us Harry. I think he's changed too." He stopped knowing that Harry would understand what he was trying to say. Draco had thought hard during the summer and watching his father closely, he really did think Lucius Malfoy had changed from the selfish, almost evil man he had been when he had slipped the Diary into Ginny Weasley's Transfiguration Book. Now, strangely Draco felt that Lucius Malfoy thought differently and he badly wanted Harry to see that fact and agree with him; that his father had become a better man, not by much Draco thought honestly to himself, but certainly better than what he was before.

Harry nodded thoughtfully. Narcissa, he always knew thought more of family than Voldemort. It certainly was possible Lucius also thought more of what it would mean for Draco and Narcissa earlier than he did the last time, which was at the very end. "Was your father very upset too? Visibly?"

Draco nodded. "Yes he was. He was so tired all the time, and while that itself was not anything unusual, because he comes home tired many times, especially after Wizengamot meetings, this holiday, when he came home, he would slump down in his chair; what gave it away was my mother's reaction to him. She would be so worried and she would always erect privacy and silencing charms before they even spoke a word."

"I agree Draco. It all sounds very suspicious and I think Bellatrix is in contact with your parents and that I think is what is worrying them, getting them down and I also agree with you that there is a great possibility your father has changed." Draco let out a breath that he did not realise he was holding. He turned his attention to Harry who was still talking. "I think we must be even more careful this year. If your Aunt is in touch with your parents, she may have coerced them into doing things they are not comfortable with. Thanks for sharing this Draco. You will be careful alright? I'll not talk much to you openly, though, if you come to know something let me know."

Draco looked mutinous and a touch sad. "So we can't meet or talk at all."

"Of course not Draco. Friends don't give up so easily. We will meet here once a week at least or when you are able to get away without arousing suspicion in your House and among your Slytherin friends. I'll bring Nev and Hermione next time. They'll want to meet you too, I know." Draco nodded, looking much happier than when he had come there.

They made arrangements to meet again and looking at his Map, Harry allowed Draco to leave first, watching until he reached the safety of the Slytherin Common Room, before he cast an invisibility charm on himself, changed and flashed near the Gryffindor Common Room. He waited for a minute to check he was alone, changed back and sauntered into the Gryffindor Common Room to brief Hermione and Neville, whom he knew would be waiting for him.

_**End of Chapter – 29**_


	30. Chapter 30

_**Thank you my wonderful readers for your reviews and thank you to everyone who clicked on this fiction, read it and liked it**_.

_**Harry potter and the Trip to the Past**_

The wonderful World of Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.

_**Chapter – 30**_

"Well? Did you meet him? What did he say? Was he alright or was he sprouting Pureblood nonsense?" whispered Hermione.

Harry had just returned to the Gryffindor Common Room after meeting with Draco, where he was tackled by Hermione who had waited with Neville, both of them a touch anxious and worried for some reason. Apparently, Harry thought with dark amusement, Neville's suspicions had serious takers in Hermione.

"Was he the same Draco we knew Harry?" asked Neville hesitantly.

Harry nodded with a touch of annoyance, though he honestly could not blame them. If he had not known of the future _and_ Draco very well, not to mention the elder Malfoys, he, Harry, may well have joined them in their suspicions of a family that was dark and loyal to Voldemort, and had pleaded _Imperius_ in the first war, which fooled no one except the self-serving idiot Fudge. The good thing about today's meeting with Draco, apart from all the information/assumptions he received about Bellatrix, was the information about Lucius Malfoy. If the elder Malfoy was seriously thinking of a change so early, it could benefit Harry enormously, provided of course they acted on that negative feeling towards Voldemort that Draco was sure they had. Narcissa, crying and uncaring about how she looked, and Lucius Malfoy not noticing tears on Narcissa's face was shocking and Harry knew that only Voldemort/Bellatrix troubles in a big, big way be the reason for that. The last time he had seen Lucius so dishevelled was in Malfoy Manor and later he had learnt that he had been without his wand at the time. For a wizard of his stature that would have been an insult next only to the loss of his life, perhaps even more than the loss of his life. He turned his attention to Hermione and Neville.

"I am sure Draco is on our side and if necessary he would go even against his parents to give information. In fact that's what he's done today. Remember we can't officially do anything with it, unless it's very important, then I'll make sure Dumbledore hears about this somehow. He needn't say anything to us, but I am sure he wants to help Hermione, Nev. He did not see or hear anything worth reporting to Dumbledore, but from what he can understand of conversations where he has been present like at breakfast or dinner, he thinks his parents are being coerced into following Voldemort..." he hesitated and then added, "this time."

He smiled when Neville snorted and Hermione looked at him in disbelief. "Wasn't his father the one who placed that awful Diary into Ginny's Transfiguration Book? Merlin, Harry you almost died because of that and now you believe Draco about his father? That he may have changed for the better? All of a sudden?"

Harry nodded. "I believe it Hermione. It's fine to be arrogant and uncaringly selfish and evil even when things are going your way, but from what Draco says things are not going the Malfoys way. So, maybe all his past actions have come to bite the elder Malfoy in the ass and now he realises what a grave mistake he made when he chose Voldemort. Yes Neville," Harry added seeing Neville's expression, "I certainly don't think Malfoy was under the _Imperius_ in the last war. However, I understand from what Draco says, he values family over everything. Which might mean that what he chose in ignorance and a bigoted attitude, he may not want for his son, and even himself now, and there, his path may differ from his Master's or Bellatrix's. Well time will tell."

"I hope you're right Harry." Said Neville rather doubtfully.

"I hope I am too Nev." Said Harry and they sat in silence for a short while before Harry spoke again.

"I told Draco, you and Hermione will want to meet him too and that you did not think he'd turned into a little death eater or something suddenly. Is that ok?" Harry gestured asking whether it was okay in the light of what both had just expressed about Draco. It had surprised Harry, who thought Neville and Hermione would be more accepting, well Hermione at least, more than Neville. But from what they said, it looked as if they were having serious reservations about Draco. He hoped they would follow his lead; he couldn't blame them for fearing Lucius Malfoy after what they'd seen of him first hand with the Diary, but he had hoped they would not judge Draco by what they'd seen of his father. It would hurt Draco and harm their relationship with him irreparably and Harry did not want that.

"Are you really sure that Draco will stand up to his father Harry?" asked Hermione, raising an eyebrow, looking a little surprised. "I mean, it's okay differing from your parent on little things, but this stance of his which you say he has taken, would mean standing opposite his father, if he is not right about his father's change. Can he really do that? Would he be able to stand opposite his father? Frankly, I find it hard to believe."

Harry countered it with a question of his own. "Bellatrix has been outside for many months now. What makes you think that she influenced Draco now, when, if she wanted to, she and the Malfoys could have done it so much earlier?"

Hermione blushed. "I know Harry." She said in a confused tone. "I know Draco, until we left School was our friend." Seeing Harry's look, she amended hastily. "_Is_ our friend, I should say. Only when Neville and I were discussing it, I felt that she and Mr. Malfoy could have turned Draco's head right around during the holidays. And I just want you to be careful, that's all." She finished pleadingly.

"I am not going to stop being Draco's friend, Hermione. I won't force you or Neville to meet him or be with him, but I _will_ be friends with him, until I know for sure he is a little Death Eater in the making and right now there isn't anything to show that. I know what he said today and how he said it are true, even if I can't explain why, and Hermione, if you look at it, in a way, he's very brave. Even at this age he's going against his parents and all that he has been taught, because he chose to do the right thing. I'm sure his parents wouldn't Draco to say what he did to me, tonight. I can't walk away from that."

He shook his head, gave a half smile and a shrug, and stood up, more than a little upset, but unable to do anything about it, since he could understand where Hermione and Neville were coming from. Harry said goodnight and left his two close friends behind, who looked as dismayed as Harry felt.

Harry cursed a bit as he walked up to his dorm; he had not seen this coming. While he could understand that Neville and Hermione felt that Draco could have been brainwashed and that he could use his friendship with Harry and others to do them harm, Harry _knew_ that was not true, but could see no way to tell them both about it; he sighed angrily, helpless. He wanted all of them to be friends. He had already lost Ron, and now it seemed Hermione and Neville would move away from him as well.

He walked dejectedly into his dorm and flopped on his bed, after securing the curtains in a way that spelt he did not want company. A second later, he heard Neville coming after him and stopping, seeing his curtains closed, then to Harry's surprise, the curtains parted and he saw both Neville and Hermione there; Hermione looked anxious and a touch angry, and, Neville, concerned and anxious.

"Harry..." Hermione started, when Harry got up and hugged her and threw an arm around Neville and interrupted her with a wry smile.

"I can't say I am disappointed, mainly because I never saw it coming, but Hermione I would never, never ever say you and Neville aren't entitled to your opinions. I am not going to break off my friendship because you say so, and I know you'll respect that. I'll return the gesture, without it affecting our friendship." He paused for a moment, and then softly ended, with a whisper. "Our friendship is very important to me."

"Oh Harry!" Hermione said weakly, her eyes overflowing with tears, "Our friendship is equally, if not more important to me and I am sure Nev feels the same way."

Neville nodded. "You were my first friend Harry and at a time I thought I was nothing more than a squib. I know we have sprung this issue on you suddenly, but Hermione and I discussed it a lot, when you were with Snape doing your detentions last year, before bringing our concerns to you. It's difficult Harry, to go against one's parents and family. Believe me, I know. It would take a lot for me to go against Gran and I am not sure I can the way you do with Sirius and Remus about Snape and Draco. Wait!" he said when Harry opened his mouth to say something. "I know it means a lot to you to be friends to prove a point and that you are doing this for Sirius's sake, even then Harry, you know what I am saying is true. _Especially_ in the Wizarding World! To go against one's family is almost unheard of. In fact the only two persons who have done it are Sirius who ran away from his own family and you who are keeping friendships against the wishes of your Godfather."

Harry interrupted Neville who was still explaining. "I agree with everything you say Neville. But I still don't understand. What has this got to do with Draco? And I was really not going against Sirius's wishes as much as trying to make everyone see that just because Sirius came from a very Dark family, he was not evil. Being Bellatrix's cousin does not make Sirius a Bellatrix. You know him and you know he would never do anything like that evil maniac. That's exactly the case with Draco. His father may not smell of roses, but Draco has never been anything other than a good friend until now. To all of us. He has never betrayed what we said to him, and he even gave up the snitch because his friendship with us mattered more to him than winning a match for Slytherin."

"I know." Neville sounded pained. "I know I can never compare Sirius to that hag, and Draco so far has been a good guy, but he is very young Harry."

Harry interrupted him once again. "Sirius was 16 when he ran away from home leaving everything he knew behind, including his wealth."

Neville fell silent and there was nothing said between the three friends for a while as they sat in quiet contemplation and then Neville spoke again very quietly. "I promised myself that I'd have your back no matter what Harry. You represent something very important to me. I can't explain more. But while I may disagree with you, there is no way I am going to let you face anything alone, including Draco. So, unless you tell me to get lost, I'll always be here for you; and even then I'd watch your back Harry; it's not that I am asking you to make a choice; it's more that I am concerned you'll get hurt badly, if he lets you down."

"Oh Neville!" Hermione said tearfully before Harry could say a word. "It's the same for me too Harry!" and threw her arms around Harry and Neville and clutched them tightly as if afraid to let them go.

Harry found he could not say a word to save his life. He struggled to control his feelings and put them into words. He had never quite realised how much Neville and Hermione's friendship meant to him until that time, when he had thought for a frightening moment it meant choosing between them and Draco. He wrapped his arms awkwardly around both of them and they stayed that way for a while, before Harry cleared his throat, swallowed a couple of times and smiled weakly.

"Thanks Nev. I hope you won't be surprised or think it arrogance on my part if I say I knew you and Hermione will always be my first and best friends no matter what. While I was surprised you felt so about Draco, I never felt or doubted you said all this because you were concerned. I know, because it was the right thing to do for a friend, even though it might mean a fight between us. I swear I'll be careful and I swear I'll protect myself when I meet with him."

Neville grinned obviously relieved Harry had not taken his and Hermione's concern in the wrong way. "Oh no you don't Harry. From now on, when you meet with Draco we're coming too. We'll watch your back there too. Especially there."

Harry laughed and the three friends relaxed and chatted for a while, before Hermione left for her dorm, and Neville to his bed to sleep the sleep of the relieved, Harry once again closed the curtains and considered what had just happened. He trembled a little as he realised the fear that had crept inside him for a few minutes when he thought Neville and Hermione would issue an ultimatum; but like always they had come through and in such a way it humbled him. Harry felt a lump form in his throat as he recollected what Neville had told him. _I promised myself that I'd have your back no matter what Harry. You represent something very important to me. I can't explain it more. But while I may disagree with you there is no way I am going to let you face everything alone, including Draco. So, unless you tell me to get lost, I'll always be here for you_ _and even then I'd watch your back Harry._ Harry found that he had to swallow hard and blink hard a few times to stop his emotions get to him. _No matter what!_ Neville had not even qualified his words by saying words "Unless you become a death eater or you go on a murdering spree; he had given an unconditional promise to watch his back. Harry never felt as blessed as he did at that moment. Basking in the glow of the happiness created by his friends, it took Harry a while before he could calm down to do what he had wanted to do in the first place. Check the Map for Barty Crouch Jr.

Smiling happily, Harry opened his bag and took out the Map and searched for Barty Crouch Jr. There he was! Harry thought triumphantly. Barty Crouch and Mad-Eye Moody, shown on the Map in the same room. The last time they had not thought much about it, if anything at all actually, because they had all thought Barty Crouch meant Barty Crouch Sr, who they thought had come to meet with Mad-Eye Moody about the Tournament or some such thing. Harry sat for a while as he thought of the various things that would happen that year and how he could change them in such a way he did not change the overall picture. Harry grimaced; he was beginning to sound like Dumbledore when he thought of the big picture. He bent down to his Map and saw Barty Crouch Jr puttering about his room, while Mad-Eye Moody was still, in one place, probably under the _Imperius_ and unconscious. Harry wondered for a moment whether he could rescue Moody earlier this time, but he really did not know how, so he left it after thinking about it for a few minutes. Even if he did nothing Moody would be safe in the end. That more than anything comforted Harry.

The next day Harry woke up refreshed and fit for the first day of classes. Chatting with Hermione and Neville he walked down with them to the Great Hall for breakfast. Both seemed relieved to see Harry was as usual and made no reference to what happened last night. Harry sat with them at the Gryffindor table, where Harry nodded at Ron and Ginny, before turning to the Twins.

"Going to compete in the Tri-Wizard Tournament?" he asked them, smiling slyly.

"Sure Harrykins,"

"We are going to compete,"

"For the glory and honour,"

"And a thousand galleons!"

They finished gallantly. "How about you?" they asked in unison.

"Am I of age?" he asked back laughing.

"But why should that stop you my Ickle Harrykins?" said a twin grinning.

Harry shuddered. "No thanks. I don't want to participate in a Tournament where people have died. I am perfectly content to be a spectator." He finished and turned to his breakfast piling eggs, toast and bacon on his plate. Turning to the Head Table he saw all the Professors present and seeing both Dumbledore's and Snape's eyes on him, he gave a smile and a small wave. Dumbledore smiled back, while Snape scowled and turned his head away. Harry grinned and turned his attention to the chattering at his table and all too soon breakfast was over and McGonagall was handing out new schedules.

"Herbology first,' Neville said happily with a large smile on his round face, "followed by Transfiguration and Charms. Packed day today."

Hermione smiled enthusiastically as well. "I can't wait to start. We are just a year away from our OWLS." She said, ignoring the astounded expressions on Harry and Neville's faces. "What?" she demanded. "Our OWLS are just a year away and we should concentrate this year, as I'm sure what we learn will help us understand our lessons better next year. Come on, else we'll be late for Herbology." They lifted their bags and strolled out of the Castle to the Greenhouses, where they would have their Herbology lessons with Professor Sprout. Harry vaguely remembered removing Bubotuber Pus the first time, and he smiled to himself in satisfaction when he was proved right. He pulled on his dragon gloves and started removing the Pus from the Bubotuber Pods, after Professor Sprout finished explaining about them.

After their class, the three of them stomped back to the Castle for their Transfiguration class when suddenly Harry bumped into someone. He groaned as he rubbed his chest and looked up to see who had banged into him, and his eyes widened. It was Snape! Snape hissed, his eyes glittering in mild amusement, though no one, Harry was sure, would be able to discern that, looking at Snape's sneering face.

"Detention Potter!" his voice rang in satisfaction.

"Sir!" Harry protested. "I never meant to bang into you and I swear I did not see you coming."

"Are you accusing me of walking into you deliberately Potter?" Snape asked slowly, his eyes boring to Harry's.

"Oh no Sir." Harry started, when Snape straightened and said. "Detention tonight, unless you want another one tomorrow?" he asked, as his eyebrow rose questioning him.

Harry shook his head in a show of dismay. Snape was already striding away as he said, "No need to bring your dragon hide gloves Potter!"

"He's really mean." Hermione said with a frown. "I swear he was not there, when we came in. How on earth did he bang into you Harry?"

Probably with a disillusionment charm, Harry thought with a roll of his eyes, even as he said. "I really don't know Hermione. I swear he was not there one second and the next we go, Bang! Into each other. I think I am meant to have detentions with Snape. I don't think he's forgiven me yet for being related to him. Oh well" he sighed copiously.

"I don't know how you can take it so well Harry." Neville said with a scowl. "He's being unfair and mean."

"I like him." Harry shrugged. "And I think he doesn't like me liking him. But I'm determined to win this battle." He grinned.

"I don't know how you can take it so well, especially when you are looking up to him and all he does is rebuff you, treat you like you are the most worthless scum." Said Neville.

Harry did not say anything. What could he say to that. What Neville and Hermione felt was very true. Snape was rude to him, but he could not be anything else. He had a dangerous game to play; the war had started the day Voldemort possessed Quirrell to come to Hogwarts for the Stone, when a sudden thought stopped him blind. He groaned loudly as Neville, who was walking a step behind, managed to bump into him, nudging him hard on his side.

"Merlin, I'm sorry Harry; everyone seems to be banging into you today." Neville giggled. "Why on earth did you stop so suddenly?"

"I know." Harry groaned, as Neville continued to giggle. "I dunno why I stopped walking; I was thinking about Snape and the way he banged into me and I guess I stopped walking." Harry replied lamely and it was evident from Neville's face he did not believe him. Being Neville he kept quiet and walked on, switching topics and starting a conversation about Bubotuber Pus trivia. Harry was thankful for that and gratefully accepted the change in conversation, even as he knew both Hermione and Neville would discuss his apparent fascination with Snape, when he was gone for yet another detention with him. But he could do nothing about it, unless it was to tell them everything.

Making all the right noises, as he listened to Neville, Harry's thoughts went back to the thought that had suddenly stuck him out of the blue and he berated himself for not being more intelligent and aware. This was sheer negligence that could not be forgiven if something occurred because of his non-action. He decided to talk to Snape, when he met him in the evening, and walked into the Transfiguration classroom for his lesson.

The day went slowly and it was with some impatience that Harry walked off to his detention with Snape.

"Come in." A low voice ordered him and Harry walked into his Potion Master's office. Snape had a parchment with an essay on the difference between chopping, slicing, crushing and their impact on Potions in Harry's handwriting ready.

"Why did you have to bang into me so hard? Hi" greeted Harry impishly.

"I do not _Hi_ anyone Potter." Snape said as if on autopilot.

Harry laughed, before he became serious. "I have made a big, big mistake Snape. I don't know how I missed it, except that in the first time I never dealt with it, the decision was made by others."

Snape looked alarmed at this confusing statement. "What's the matter Potter? Explain properly."

"The Flamels, Snape. Nicolas Flamel and his wife Perenelle. They chose to die the first time, destroying the Stone, after putting their affairs in order. Dumbledore told me when I was in the infirmary after having burnt Quirrell." Harry looked stricken. "I hope they are not already dead, because they could not access the Stone. If they are, it would be because of my negligence." Harry looked at Snape with determination. "I want to return the Stone to them somehow, assuming," he added sombrely, "they are alive."

Snape was silent for a while as he processed what Harry said. Then, "How can we return the Stone to them? And I'm sure they are alive. I would have known if they had died. Dumbledore would have mentioned it. So don't worry about that. But, we don't know where they live and even if we do, I doubt we can get in without their knowledge to place the Stone in their home and it's too dangerous to send it by owl, even if no one will expect a Philosopher's Stone to be sent that way."

Harry nodded, relieved by Snape's words that the Flamels were alive. It was indeed true. Dumbledore would have mentioned something about them to the staff at the very least. He turned to Snape. "Not by owl." He said in reply to Snape's words and thought for a while. "How about by phoenix?" he asked. "I wonder if Fawkes will agree to do this for me.'

"How will you ask him?" Snape countered. "He sits with the Headmaster all the time."

Harry did not say anything for a minute, then he said, "I can call him and ask him. I think he'll come."

"Then that's what we'll do. We'll retrieve the Stone this Saturday," he raised an eyebrow at Harry who nodded, and then continued, "and then call Fawkes and ask for his help. Now, what happens this year?"

Harry sighed. "Voldemort returns this year."

"What?" Snape whispered, horrified.

Harry nodded. "A lot of things happen this year. This year was the starting point of the Second War. Most of what happened this year had an enormous impact on the war to come."

Snape had overcome his horror and terror and he was all business now. "What happens?"

Harry started speaking. "Okay. First of all, Alastor Moody is a polyjuiced death eater. The real one is currently in his own trunk, being kept alive for the Polyjuice Potion. The false Alastor Moody is none other than Barty Crouch Jr. so you be careful of him."

Snape blinked. "Barty Crouch Jr.?" he drawled, unable to keep the surprise from his voice. "I thought he died in Azkaban?" he inquired.

"He was supposed to have. But his dear father,' said Harry bitterly, "while strict and a perfect justice giver to everyone else, even to the extent that he threw people like Sirius into Azkaban without a trial, was unable to refuse his wife, who loved her son so much she wanted him out of Azkaban, never mind he was a Death Eater who tortured and killed good people. So she took his place and died there inside Azkaban within a year, while dear Junior was with his Death Eater hating father, kept under his father's control with the help of an unforgivable, the use of which earns other people a one way ticket to Azkaban. But not for Crouch Sr. of course."

Snape was silent for a minute. "Are we going to expose him? We should, you know."

"Dumbledore could have easily got a trial for Sirius. He should have, you know, before he threw him into Azkaban." Answered Harry randomly.

"Is that why you don't trust the Headmaster?"

"I trust the Headmaster," said Harry impatiently. "I just don't trust him to sit quiet until necessary to act, if he knows everything."

"What else did Dumbledore not do?"

"Many things." Harry said his eyes distant as he thought of his life with the Dursleys the first time and sighed. "No use crying over split milk."

Snape snorted softly, his eyes still intently on Harry.

"So," Harry continued. "First, Crouch Jr. is a Death Eater."

"You say we can't do anything about it." Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." Harry nodded. "We need him." Harry stopped abruptly. He could hardly tell Snape right then, that he needed Barty Crouch Jr to take Harry to Voldemort, so that Harry could donate blood and thereby live after Voldemort's killing curse hit him. He would need to brief Snape later on, but there was no need to put Snape in a panic from now on, Harry thought as he shrugged mentally. Harry had thought long and hard and he had come to the conclusion that even though he would not be in a similar frame of mind, his mother's sacrifice would always work against Voldemort and in doing so, would help him survive the killing curse.

"Second I'll be chosen as the Fourth Champion at the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Barty Crouch Jr. put my name into the Cup last time under a different School and I was chosen; I guess that'll happen this time too. The other three, if the whole thing goes as it did last time, are Cedric Diggory for Hogwarts, Victor Krum for Durmstrang and Fleur Delacour for Beauxbatons."

Snape remained silent as he processed this. After a minute he asked, "Is there's no way we can avoid your name being placed in the Cup?"

"I'm not sure we should avoid it", Harry said uncomfortably, "it would help me in a lot of ways; particularly if things happened as they did the last time. I hope they do." He murmured to himself.

"Why?" asked Snape impatiently.

"I'll tell you later." Harry evaded and continued. "Shall I call for Fawkes now and ask him?"

"What for? We get the Stone, then you call Fawkes, request him to deliver it to the Flamels and that's that. Plus, of course you request him not to reveal anything to the Headmaster." Said Snape.

Harry nodded. "Ok; that's what we'll do then."

They spent some more time together, with Snape unsuccessfully quizzing Harry about more events that happened in the past, before Snape reluctantly dismissed Harry. Harry bid goodbye to Snape, which brought a scowl to Snape's face and a smile to Harry's, before he ambled out.

That Saturday, Harry woke up just a little before dawn and he finished his ablutions in record time. At the last minute, he decided to go on his own, because it would be quicker to travel in his Animagus form, than it would be with Snape. He could save a lot of time. If he did this quickly, he could be back in time for breakfast and no one would be the wiser. Accordingly, Harry changed into a phoenix and flashed to a small, narrow alley near Diagon Alley. Changing back, he threw up his hood and walked swiftly to Gringotts. There was hardly any one inside the Bank this early and Harry was soon in and out of his Vault, with the Stone safely warded inside his robes. The moment he was back in the small alley, Harry cast an invisible charm on himself, changed and flashed to his room. Thankfully no one had even woken up in the forty five minutes it took Harry to go into Gringotts and back, and too restless to sleep, Harry, with the Stone safely warded inside his robes left his dorm and walked down. Since it was a Saturday, there was no one in the common room and Harry after a moment's hesitation walked to the Great Hall.

The Great Hall was empty, and Harry walked right out, and decided to deal with the Stone straight away, before too many students and Professors were up and about. Casting a wandless notice-me-not charm on himself, Harry walked down to the dungeons and sent a Patronus to Snape, since he was not sure whether Snape was up and about in his office or was still in his rooms. Having sent his Patronus, Harry sat down to wait by Snape's office and sure enough, twenty minutes later, the door opened silently and Harry walked in to see Snape glaring at him.

"You couldn't get up earlier?" he sneered. "Come on let's go."

"I've already been there and back; I woke up a lot earlier and couldn't sleep; so I decided to go to Gringotts by myself, and bring the Stone. I won't have time to escape Neville and Hermione during the day and who knows how crowded Gringotts would be or who would be there on a Saturday. Is it ok?"

Snape sneered and reluctantly nodded, pulling back his angry words, when Harry added, "I was very careful Snape. I took no chances. It was way too early; otherwise I would have come to get you."

"You will, the next time, even if it is the middle of the night. No gallivanting alone, understood?'

"Yup!" Harry grinned and removed the wards and brought out the Stone.

"We need to write a letter." He said.

Snape nodded and walked towards his desk.

"Hide your handwriting."

"I never knew." Snape said sarcastically and set about writing a brief letter to the Flamels.

_Dear Mrs and Mr. Flamel,_

_I have managed to take the Stone before Voldemort got his dirty hands on it. Please keep it safely, just as you have all these centuries._

"Very brief." Harry nodded approvingly. Then his face turned thoughtful. "I wonder though, Snape, why on earth would Flamel, who has kept the Stone so carefully with him all these years without any harm coming to it, would hand it over to Dumbledore the year I came to Hogwarts. I can't help think it was all a ruse to smoke out Voldemort."

Snape's face pinched in anger. "A ruse that would have put you and the other students in the gravest danger. Dumbledore should be..." He stopped abruptly, calming himself. "Well, are you going to call Fawkes?" He growled, seeing Harry's amusement, though he did not notice that it was tinged with bitterness at the thought of the pawn he had been in his first life. Innocent and completely directed unnoticed by Dumbledore.

"Fawkes!" he called softly and was rewarded with a flash of flames as the phoenix flashed into the room, a second later. Flying around the room once with a soft trill, Fawkes landed on Harry's shoulder. Harry stroked the bird, petting it and making it croon.

"Fawkes, can I ask a favour from you?"

Fawkes looked at him inquiringly.

"I need you return the Stone, the Philosopher's Stone I mean, to Nicholas Flamel or his wife, without anyone knowing about it. Yes" he added, seeing Fawkes, tilt his head to one side. "Even your companion Dumbledore. Can you please help me with this? You see," he continued explaining, feeling that the bird could, not unlike Hedwig, understand every single word he spoke, "the Flamels are dependent on the Stone for their lives and I," he lowered his voice, a little shamefaced, "completely forgot that little detail, when I hid the Stone to protect it against Voldemort."

Fawkes stared at him for a long moment, before he trilled pleasantly and held out his leg.

"Thank you Fawkes. You're brilliant." Harry grinned, relieved as tied the letter to Fawkes's leg along with the Stone wrapped tightly in a little bag. Fawkes gave another trill and vanished in a burst of flames.

Harry sighed in relief. "So that's that. I'll leave now, before anyone misses me," he grinned at Snape's sneer at anyone missing Harry, before making himself invisible. He walked out of the door, went to a lonely corridor, turned into a phoenix and flashed to his bed. And heaved another sigh of relief. No one had even woken up. Harry changed back, made himself visible and taking his bag, walked out of his dorm to go down to breakfast. He was feeling very hungry after all that work.

The common room was still empty, and Harry decided not to wait for his friends, but walked briskly once again to the Great Hall and sat down for his breakfast, which soon appeared on the Gryffindor Table. This time nearly all the Professors including Snape were there at the Staff Table having their own breakfast. Ravenous, he sat down and soon filled his plate and was halfway through his meal, when two people walked briskly inside the Great Hall. Harry gave a startled gasp when he recognised them as Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel. Dumbledore stood up at the sight of them, and beaming in welcome, he walked down the aisle to greet them.

"Need to talk to you Albus. Very important." Nicolas said scowling, which promptly removed the beaming smile from Dumbledore's face. He straightened and simply nodded, before walking out of the Great Hall the Flamels following them. Harry looked at them, before glancing at the Staff Table; Snape was scowling deeply and meeting Harry's eyes, glared. McGonagall was frowning too, looking at the doors through which Dumbledore and the Flamels had left, and Harry quickly finished his breakfast. He was about to leave, when Hermione and Neville ran in and stopped at the sight of him.

"When did you get up?" Hermione asked, slowing down to a walk. Harry sat down again. "Early. I was pretty hungry, so decided to come down." He said apologetically.

"That's alright Harry." Hermione smiled and soon the three friends ambled out of the Great Hall to the library, where they spent a good amount of time, before going back to the Great Hall for a leisurely lunch. Harry wondered about Nicholas Flamel, but there was nothing to be learnt that afternoon, except that McGonagall, Snape and Dumbledore were all absent for lunch and dinner that day. Moody was there and so were Professors Sprout and Flitwick, and Hermione remarked on their absence, but since no one could guess why, they gradually turned their attention to other things. Sunday passed by in a wonderfully lazy manner and Harry relaxed completely. He could not help wondering though about what had happened with Flamel and the Stone. He hoped it would all blow over. For him, seeing the Flamels alive and well was a relief and Harry did not think further than that.

"I wonder who the Hogwarts Champion would be?" asked Hermione thoughtfully, as they sat beneath a large oak tree, near the lake that Sunday afternoon.

"Hope it's a Gryffindor." Said Neville.

"There are many students in the Upper Classes to choose from. There's that Seeker Cedric Diggory from Hufflepuff; he seems capable; there's Roger Davies from Ravenclaw; there's, there's ... hmm ...who else, who else, yeah, that guy from Slytherin, Adrian Pucey? ... plus our Gryffies, Angelina is one mean witch with a wand." said Harry, fading away into silence as he thought of more names, but knowing that Cedric would bag the honour nicely for Hogwarts.

"Diggory?" asked Neville with a doubtful look. "He's a Hufflepuff; not that I mean anything negative, but I don't think there's ever been a Hufflepuff Champion so far. It would be brilliant if he was chosen. That would get rid of the name 'House of Losers' if he was chosen, at the very least."

Harry nodded, while Hermione looked impatient. "Harry, you have been saying names of Quidditch players; not that I disagree with you Neville, or you Harry, for that matter; only are there no one else capable? Really?"

'Well there's that girl in Slytherin, Zeltor, Adrienne Zeltor, who I've heard is brilliant, but I really can't think of any other. Pathetic really, isn't it? That in a castle so full of students, we can't pick more names." Harry said.

"I know." Said Hermione. "What about that girl in Hufflepuff, Tara Carp?"

"I don't even know who you're talking about." Harry shook his head ruefully, as did Neville, while Hermione muttered about boys and their ignorance. They spent that day happily, doing nothing much.

Monday started well and by lunch the talk of the School was Professor Moody's class. The fifth years had had him that morning and Fred, George and Lee could talk of little else.

"He was fantabulous Harry. He was about the real world out there and no mollycoddling. Oh no!" Fred shook his head as George and Lee nodded violently. "He started off with the Unforgivables and went on to teach us about offensive curses. Really, really offensive. The stuff Aurors throw at Death Eaters." George added.

"I can't wait." Said Ron who had been hanging on to his brothers' words, his eyes wide and mouth open in shock. "At long last; we finally have a Defence Professor who is not scared of his own shadow or pixies." Everyone snorted as they remembered Lockhart and his Cornish Pixies.

"I can't wait either, now that I've heard all this, Harry said. "When do we have Defence?" he pulled out his schedule and groaned realistically. "Oh, too bad; not until Thursday."

They trooped out and it was not until Wednesday that Harry managed to land a detention with Snape. He walked in, threw his bag on the ground, flopped into his seat and asked. " Hi! What happened with the Flamels?"

"Do not presume familiarity with me Potter." Hissed Snape, glaring at Harry's grin, before he replied with a growing smirk on his own face. "Well it seems the Flamels received the Stone out of the blue on Saturday morning, with Fawkes of all birds; naturally they were shocked and then upset because they did not know what to believe at first. They had believed the Headmaster when he told them the Stone was stolen and here after a few years the very Stone is returned to them, oh dear, by the Headmaster's own phoenix. What are they to assume? They were considerably shaken and they did not know what to do, especially, when they tested the Stone and found that it had not been used."

Harry stared at Snape and then burst out laughing. "Oh my God, I never thought of that when we sent Fawkes. He was the only one, apart from the few witches and wizards, who were keyed into the Flamels' place _and_ who could the damn Stone safely to them. They suspect Dumbledore? This is too funny."

Snape grinned and Harry was startled at how young he looked. "Well they don't suspect Dumbledore. He is their good friend and after six hundred odd years, I guess one is sufficiently shrewd to analyse and categorise people into good, bad and evil. Especially with the Stone in their custody. They wouldn't be able to protect is so well all these centuries otherwise. But they _and_ Dumbledore spent the whole day wondering who could command Fawkes to do this for them. Luckily for us, the bird flamed out every time he was asked this by them." Snape suddenly laughed, shocking Harry once again. "It was funny to see them go around in circles, and at the same time to pretend to be as worried about the fact there was another person or persons out in the world who could order Fawkes to do his bidding."

"I can see how that can be worrying." Harry frowned. "Knowing that your beloved familiar is actually attending to other's calls can be terribly betraying."

Snape nodded. "If I did not know about this, I would not have been able to sleep properly; another person having control over the Headmaster's phoenix would have been frightening."

"Well, we can't do anything much about it. Since they know the Stone wasn't used, it obviously wasn't a Death Eater or Voldemort himself." Said Harry.

"That's what they ultimately concluded. They decided it was a good person; a sixth or seventh year witch or wizard who stole it and then did not know how to return it, until they thought of Fawkes and called him to do the honours, and that Fawkes did, because the person was a Light Witch or Wizard and that he or she meant no harm to the Phoenix, the Stone, the School or the Headmaster." Said Snape.

"Well that's that." Harry concluded and they spent the rest of the detention in amicable silence; Snape grading his papers and Harry reading about specialized wards in the Self-Updating Book of Spells.

The next day Harry woke up gearing for his Defence Against The Dark Arts Class. As he washed and dressed, he thought about how he should play the _Imperius_ Curse that the false Moody was sure to throw at him. He was still wavering between breaking the Curse as he could, very easily now, and not revealing too much to Moody. He mentally shrugged as Neville called him and decided he would do whatever he felt like at that moment and went down to breakfast. There was a charged atmosphere and heavy anticipation amongst the Fourth years that morning, and Harry convincingly shivered in anticipation along with the rest.

"I'm sure class is gonna be great today." Ron whispered and Harry nodded. "If he's half of what Fred and George told us, it's bound to be brilliant."

The fourth years had Care of Magical Creatures first that morning, followed by lunch and then a double class of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Harry, Hermione and Neville trooped off to the Care of Magical Creatures class that was held near Hagrid's Hut in the Hogwarts grounds. Harry tried to remember what Hagrid had taught them; he remembered with a groan when he saw the open wooden crates on the ground near Hagrid's feet. Ugh! Blast Ended Skrewts!

Hagrid greeted them happily. "Well you all are goin' to study a new creature, these are the Blast Ended Skrewts!" he declared and Hermione peeped into the wooden crates only to draw back in disgust, which she tried to school into a neutral face for Hagrid's sake. The lesson went by and Harry and others were glad to get out of there. They had this class with the Slytherins, who after a look at the slimy creatures that smelt of rotted fish, refused to go anywhere near it. Harry nodded to Draco and got a half hearted glare in turn, followed by a furtive glance around and then a quick smile. He smiled back and turned away.

"Ugh! Eww! What was Hagrid thinking of?" Hermione exclaimed when they were out of the range of Hagrid's hearing. "All they are fit for is to be stomped upon and killed."

"And they grow up to six feet apparently." Neville said with some horror. "Why can't we study some nice harmless creatures?" he moaned, thinking of future classes with Blast Ended Skrewts.

"Because Hagrid's got no sense of what's harmless." Harry laughed. "He named a Cerberus Fluffy, for Merlin's sake!"

"I know." Hermione agreed. "If only we could do something about it." Sighing, the three friends walked into the Great Hall for lunch and soon they were lining up near the Defence Against the Dark Arts class.

A few moments later the door opened with a bang and Moody gestured them inside with one gnarled finger.

They had the class with the Slytherins as usual and all of them shuffled inside and found their places and sat down quickly and quietly, looking up at Moody's face in anticipation and just a touch of fear.

"Well," Moody started off without much ado. "I have received a letter from Professor Jim Tim and I've a fair idea of what you've learnt the previous two years before Professor Jim Tim, which is not a lot. Though, you seem to have learnt all about Kappas, Grindylows, Redcaps, Hinkypunks, Werewolves and Boggarts, last year."

He looked around the class in a fairly menacing manner; his Mad-Eye resting upon Harry every two minutes. "This year we will learn about curses and the evil they can do to another." He started on his lecture about curses and why the Ministry wanted them to only learn about counters and why Dumbledore thought it would be beneficial to learn about how dark wizards could attack others and harm them. It was much the same, if not identical to last time, Harry thought. He sat alert and wide eyed, listening to the Death Eater in disguise and watched as Moody asked about the Unforgivables and showed them what the curses could do on three spiders.

"Now I am going to place you all under the first of the Unforgivable Curses, the _Imperius_ and I want you to try and understand how it feels like. I also want all of you to try your best to throw off the Imperius if you can. Ready?" Moody said.

The class nodded nervously.

"Well come on then." He started and Harry watched as one by one they all did the most unbelievable things. Neville's gymnastics was something he could have never done on his own and all too soon it was Harry's turn.

"_Imperio_!" cried Moody and Harry at once felt a floating sensation, calm and a wonderful feeling filling him, even as Moody said. "Jump on to the desk." Harry deliberated only for a second, before he obediently jumped on to the desk keeping his eyes carefully blank and blissful, but upon Moody's person. He saw a flicker of disappointment, before Moody cried once again, "Jump down!" Harry jumped down at once and was grateful; Moody did not ask him to do some body twisting gymnastics. He would have had to show Moody that he could break off the _Imperius_ then.

"Well then," Moody said as the last student clucked like a hen, "This is what an _Imperius_ feels like. Now I am disappointed that none of you could even try to break out of it." His eye settled on Harry, who grimaced, "but I will ask permission from Dumbledore to cast the curses upon you'll once again. We'll see if any of you develop a resistance, now that you know how an _Imperius_ feels like. Dismissed."

Harry trooped out with the rest listening to the others chatter away excitedly. "I'm sure our class was even better than the Twins'." Ron chortled gleefully. "I can't wait to tell them Moody put us through real curses and Unforgivables at that."

The days went by swiftly and there was no repeat of their first class from Moody, so Dumbledore had apparently not given the required permission. All too soon, it was time for the Schools from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang to be upon them and Harry watched expressionless as he saw the horse drawn carriages arrive and Madame Maxine alight along with her students from them. Greeted by a beaming Dumbledore, she chatted a few minutes with him, before going up the steps, even as the students turned to see how the other School would arrive. They did not have long to wait and soon were rewarded with Durmstrang ship rise from the waters of the Black Lake.

Harry grinned as Ron recognised Krum and soon all of them were enjoying a grand feast, and then Dumbledore stood up. Harry noticed Ludo Bagman and Barty Crouch Sr. and also noticed for the first time, Moody's eye flickering once in a while towards his father, not very obviously, but Harry noticed it, since he was looking for it.

The Great Hall quietened down as Dumbledore began to speak. He introduced Bagman and Crouch to everyone, gave a brief history about the Goblet and then had Filch bring the magical artifact inside the Hall. There was a huge murmur of excitement as the students saw the Goblet of Fire and after telling them how to place their names in the Goblet and how he had drawn an age line, so that younger students could not cross it to place their names, he dismissed them.

"What I wouldn't give to participate and win. A thousand Galleons!" Ron moaned and that seemed to be the general tone in Gryffindor.

"Well I wouldn't, for all the Galleons in the World, Ron. What use are they if we get hurt so badly that we won't be able to enjoy them, assuming we're alive at the end of it. Participants have been killed before, and I like to live as healthy as I can be, thank you very much." Harry retorted and was pleased, when many others agreed with him. Ron was unconvinced though as were the Twins.

"Well, we are going to try Harrykins. We are going to use an Age Potion to make us older." Said one of the Twins, with a huge grin on his face.

"I think Dumbledore is smarter than you two." Harry laughed and on that note all of them went to bed.

The next morning, Harry, Hermione and Neville entered the Great Hall and were greeted by the Twins in their long beards and started laughing. "Couldn't manage it?" Harry asked chortling.

The Twins laughed. "Well it was worth a try."

The whole School and their guests sat down to their second feast in two days that Halloween night, and Harry tried hard not to fidget or look nervous. He chatted with his friends and observed that Snape, Dumbledore, McGonagall and Moody were all looking more alerter than usual, as they let their eyes rove over Great Hall every minute or so.

At long last the agonising feat came to an end and Dumbledore stood up and the whole Hall went silent, tense and excited.

He slowly walked over to where the Goblet stood and turned to face the students. "I think in a minute the Goblet will be ready to make its decision. When the Champions names are called, I request them to please come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table and go into the next chamber. They will receive their instructions there. Thank you."

With that, Dumbledore made a swish of his wand and then a sweeping movement of his arm and all the lights dimmed in the Great Hall showing the bright glow of the Goblet. Everyone waited with baited breath as the Goblet shone brighter and brighter and then a small wisp of parchment flew out of it and Dumbledore caught it quite neatly.

"The Champion for Durmstrang will be Victor Krum!" he announced as the Great Hall clapped loudly. They quietened when the Goblet threw another parchment.

"The Champion for Beauxbatons will Fleur Delacour." Huge cheers rose as the slim and beautiful Veela stood up and started walking to join Victor Krum in the next chamber.

"The champion for Hogwarts is Cedric Diggory!" the whole Hall erupted as Cedric stood up, flushed with excitement, happiness and pride shining on his face. Hufflepuff House was ecstatic as they stood up to cheer their hero, thrilled that at long last, their House was finally getting its due, finally a champion from Hufflepuff!

Dumbledore beamed and nodded to Cedric as he walked along the Staff Table clapping with the rest of the students, when another parchment flew out of the Goblet. Dumbledore startled, took a step back, but still managed to catch the slightly smoking parchment. He read the name on it, scowled and then looked up, all traces of happiness gone from his face. He eyes swung to the Gryffindor table, "Harry Potter!" he said, watching Harry's reaction, even as he peeped into Harry's mind.

Harry was expecting this, and so he was prepared both for his name to come out of the Goblet and for Dumbledore to intrude into his mind and he had his thoughts all ready. Dumbledore felt the extreme disbelief and then saw Harry's thoughts swing wildly as he thought of how this had happened. The culprits who made this possible ranged from the Twins to Snape and Dumbledore himself. That disbelief was firmly etched in Harry's mind and face as Dumbledore withdrew and felt just a bit relieved that Harry had not placed his name into the Goblet.

That brought a whole lot of problems for Dumbledore. If Harry had not done this, then he had to find who did and for what purpose. Dumbledore's lips thinned into an impossible line as he thought of the only reason that made sense to him. Voldemort! He was sure that Bellatrix was involved in this somehow too. How to find out though? He was distracted by the sound of hissing and low murmuring in the Hall, as the Hufflepuffs looked enraged as it seemed their glory was now being supplanted by this boy; the Slytherins were not far behind; it was not that they supported Cedric Diggory, but that they did not like an underage Gryffindor to become another Hogwarts Champion. Ravenclaw looked unhappy, but they were more or less silent, waiting to see how everything played out in the end.

The said boy looked stunned and angry as he did not seem to hear what Hermione and Neville were whispering to him in a very worried manner and letting his eyes roam quickly through Gryffindor. Dumbledore noticed many students were shocked, angry and even envious for what Harry had managed to do.

Suddenly Harry stood up, shaking off Hermione's words and her hands on his arm. The whole Hall fell silent, though the Hufflepuff House and their Head Professor Sprout were glaring at him with undisguised anger.

"I am not going to compete in this Tournament, Professor Dumbledore." Harry proclaimed in a loud voice. "I did not put my name inside this Goblet and I did not ask any other student to put my name into the Goblet for me. I am willing to swear on my magic to that effect. I don't care the Goblet threw out my name; I am not the Hogwarts Champion and I am not going to compete." He sat down and just a minute later, he stood up shakily and glared at Hermione. "I don't care if I lose my magic," he said fiercely. "I'm not going to do this. I'm not going to be manipulated like this. I can live without magic Hermione. After all I never knew about magic until I received my Hogwarts letter. I can easily forget these three years." He jumped up, threw his wand on the table and ran out of the Great Hall.

_**End of Chapter - 30**_


	31. Chapter 31

The wonderful world of Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.

A huge thank you for all the wonderful reviews. Thank you to everyone who clicked on this fic and read it. Thank you my dear readers.

_**Harry potter and the Trip to the Past**_

_**Chapter – 31**_

Dumbledore was flabbergasted and so were all of the Professors. Professor Sprout in particular was ashamed of the thoughts she had entertained for a brief while about the boy. It was clear as day that he had nothing to do with this. She turned to Dumbledore who, by then, had walked towards the Gryffindor table and had held out his hand for Harry's wand, which Hermione picked up handed it over to him. He then turned to address the School. "I'll bid goodnight to the students; I think we've had enough excitement and drama for tonight; Minerva, please take Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch along with Madame Maxine and Mr. Karkaroff to instruct the three Champions. I will inform Harry about the first Task. Thank you and goodnight." Dumbledore heaved a huge mental sigh and started for the Gryffindor dorms, where Hogwarts told him Harry was.

Harry in the meantime had slowed down into a swift walk once he left the Great Hall, his face schooled into a neutral expression. He hoped this dramatic behaviour would help everyone understand that something was seriously wrong about his name being called by the Goblet of Fire, instead of thinking Harry wanted more fame. That Harry had _not_ placed his name in the Goblet. Last time this had made him one of the most unpopular students to walk the Halls of Hogwarts that year. He reached the Gryffindor Tower, gave the password to the Fat Lady, who questioned him excitedly about the Champions.

"Hogwarts Champion is Cedric Diggory." Harry bit out briefly, his face once again schooled to show anger and he stomped inside and threw himself in front of the fire, wondering who would come to talk to him. Dumbledore himself, or McGonagall, he guessed, to take him to the Headmaster. He did not turn, when the door of the Tower opened, but he was startled a second later, when Fawkes flamed into the room, and with a soft croon, settled into his lap.

Harry was shocked once again, but he had long stopped questioning the intelligent bird's actions. He stroked Fawkes softly and murmured to him, hoping, who ever entered the room would hear it as well. "I don't know what to do Fawkes. You tell me, someone placed my name into that damn Goblet, to compete with adult wizards; I know I'm good in my studies and in magic, but this is not what I want." Fawkes stared at Harry, before pecking him sharply, making Harry yelp in pain. "Ouch! Surely, _you_ don't think I put my name into the Goblet somehow!" He said indignantly, pleading with his eyes, to the bird to play along with him.

Fawkes crooned softly and butted his head against Harry's shoulder. "Thanks Fawkes, you are brilliant as ever; I'm sorry to have doubted you." Harry hugged the bird softly, as Dumbledore walked into his view, smiling at Harry's interaction with Fawkes, but also looking very puzzled at Fawkes's behaviour towards this boy. He had never known Fawkes to behave like this with anyone.

"I did not place my name into the Goblet, Professor." Harry said angrily, standing up, the moment he apparently noticed Dumbledore, even as Fawkes flamed out with a loud trill. "I think Sirius was right. Maybe I should withdraw from here. Something or the other is trying to do me in, from the time I came here." He finished sadly, looking down.

Dumbledore sighed and sat down in front of Harry. "For what's its worth, Harry, I'm sorry. You are indeed right. Something or the other seems to happen to you each year." He fell silent and Harry stared moodily at the fire, hoping his acting would stand up to Dumbledore. A minute later Dumbledore continued. "Your name could have been placed there only by two ways, Harry. One an older student could have placed your name, or someone confounded the Goblet into entering your name under a different School. And if your name was the only name entered under that School, you would be automatically selected as Champion."

"Sir, this is the _Tri_-Wizard Tournament. Why should I compete, in this, making this a Four-Wizard Tournament, something that's not the purpose of the Tournament?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Alas, if only it was that simple. Harry, the Goblet is a magical artifact that once invoked, creates a magically binding contract. To refuse is to forfeit your magic. While, yes, I agree what happened to you was unfair, to punish your magic and yourself for something that's not your fault is also unfair," He paused for a second, "to you." He finished.

"What can I do Sir?" Harry asked him, his green eyes fixed determinedly on Dumbledore. "What else can I do?"

"Participate in the Tournament, Harry, to the best of your ability. Don't punish your wonderful gift of magic for something that's not your fault. Meanwhile I promise you, I'll do more than my best to find out who did this and punish them accordingly."

Harry was silent. Dumbledore urged him on.

"Don't give up your magic Harry."

Harry sighed and continued to stare at Dumbledore. "I'm scared Sir. People have died in this Tournament and I really did not want any part of this."

"I know." Dumbledore replied patiently. "However, if it might comfort you Harry, I can promise you that, while the tasks will be tough, especially for someone your age, none of the tasks will mean death or serious injury. I have ensured safeguards for every task and hopefully you'll come out unscathed." He stood up, and handed Harry his wand, which Harry took with an obvious show of reluctance. "The first task will test your bravery. You will be allowed your wand, and nothing else; it will take place on the twenty-fourth of November. Good luck." He looked at Harry, who had also stood up, for a second, smiled rather tiredly, then left the Gryffindor Common Room.

Dumbledore opened the door, and Harry saw all the Gryffindors gathered there, along with an anxious looking McGonagall, who straightened at whatever look Dumbledore gave her, and she waited until all the students had filed in, before coming inside. Harry meanwhile was still standing in the same place, marvelling at the changes that had happened since the last time. He hoped that he would see more changes the next day, when he would meet the students at large. He would know then, whether his tactic had been successful in diffusing what would have become a very horrible time for him the first time around.

"I don't want anyone to badger Mr. Potter tonight." She said in a clipped tone. "Potter" she nodded to him, and seeing his resigned look, gave him a brief smile and stepped out.

Harry turned to stare at his House, who were staring back at him, when pushing their way through were Hermione and Neville. Hermione had been crying, and Harry felt very bad, when he saw that, and Neville looked so worried, that Harry was reminded of the boy he had been the last time around.

"Harry!" Hermione sobbed, before throwing herself on him. "You are not leaving us, are you?" she hiccupped. Neville was tense and taut, as he waited for Harry to reply. Neville had not imagined that a situation would arise that Harry would contemplate leaving Hogwarts and his magic behind. He also never contemplated what Harry leaving Hogwarts would do to him. He had not realised how much confidence he drew from Harry, how much strength he took from the other boy. He shivered at the thought of losing his best friend, his hope, but he did not how to say what he felt. He looked at Harry anxiously.

"No!" Neville drew a shuddering breath at that. "Merlin Harry! I thought for a horrible moment, Dumbledore could not persuade you." He said in a shaken voice.

"He almost did not Nev; but Fawkes, the Professor's phoenix, flamed down and somehow he calmed me enough to listen to Dumbledore." Harry replied feeling a fraud and a bit ashamed of putting his best friends through so much worry. "I have to compete apparently; otherwise my magic would leave me, and that Dumbledore says I'd be unfair to myself, especially, since I did not place my name in the Goblet. But," he scowled heavily, "if I find out who did this,"

"We'll help you kill them Harry." one Twin finished his sentence for him in an unnaturally grim voice.

"Thanks." Harry said, shocked. The last time the Twins, and indeed everyone else had cheered him and had refused to believe his desperate proclamations that he had never placed his name into the Goblet; this time, his stunt, had made the whole House realise the danger he was in. That someone placed his name into the Goblet to harm him, and it was not Harry seeking more fame than he had.

"Well we know whoever placed your name into the Goblet did not do it for fun. This Tournament could get ugly and to make a fourteen year old compete, well, if we catch them..."

There was another shock for Harry, when Ron spoke up. "Yeah, Harry, while I know I wanted to get into the bloody Tournament and win a thousand Galleons, you always said that it was dangerous and that you wanted no part of it. If we get the person who did this, don't worry mate, Gryffindor will decimate them."

"Hear! Hear!" chorused his House, and Harry, Hermione and Neville walked up to his and Neville's dorm, with offers of help from his Housemates ringing in his ears. Harry was a little bewildered at the change. While he had hoped his stunt would diffuse the tense and rather horrible situation that had existed the last time around, he had, never in his wildest dreams imagined the response and the support he was getting now. For heaven's sake, _Ron_ was sympathetic and Harry did not know how to react to that.

All three friends plonked on Harry's bed. "I was so scared Harry, when your name was thrown up by the Goblet." Hermione said. "I couldn't believe it. I knew straightaway that someone was planning to do you in."

Neville nodded. "The same thought went through my head as well." He hesitated for a second and then braved on. "Could Mr. Malfoy have done something?"

Harry frowned. "He very well could have." Harry smiled at Neville's obvious relief that Harry had not taken his suggestion in the wrong way. "I'm going to ask Draco about it, when we meet him next."

"Don't be too obvious about it, Harry." at Harry's inquiring look, she added, "That you are accusing Mr. Malfoy of this."

"Of course." Harry agreed and then scowled. "I can't imagine how someone got through, though." He told them what Dumbledore had surmised, "Who could have had the power to confound the Goblet to placing my name under a different School?"

"It must be a teacher or a seventh year." Hermione said pensively.

"A teacher?" Harry exclaimed. "Could it be Moody? He's creepy enough; he put us all through an Unforgivable as if it was a stunner." He paused pensively for a second. "I don't think it could be the Heads of House; they've been here a long time, as have Trelawney, Hagrid, Vector, Hooch and Sinistra. What about the Muggle Studies teacher? Do you know her?"

Hermione looked thoughtful. "I agree; not any of the Heads, and surely not the Muggle Studies teacher Harry. I've met her; she's very nice, though _that_ doesn't say much. Moody is the new one and so by default, he could be the one who did something." She giggled suddenly. "Perhaps, Harry, he was under the _Imperius_; and he put your name when he was controlled."

Harry and Neville laughed and Neville added chortling, "Yeah, and the person who placed him under the _Imperius_ thought it an irony to teach all students to recognize that curse through an _Imperius_ controlled Moody."

Hermione laughed along with Neville, while Harry was dumbfounded for a second, before he laughed along with them. They could never guess, he thought, how close they had come to unravelling the mystery of his name placed in the Goblet.

"He's crazy and paranoid enough, but who knows, such paranoid people can make the silliest of mistakes."

"Seriously though, we must keep an eye out for danger." Hermione said, laughter now all but vanished from her face. "We have to be careful, and Harry; don't go anywhere alone, please."

Harry nodded. "We can ask Draco to keep his eyes and ears open about anyone in Slytherin who looks suspicious; it could be them in cahoots with Bellatrix."

Hermione and Neville did not point the obvious that Draco could well be that person and for that Harry was thankful. "I'm meeting Draco tomorrow night, so we'll know if anyone from Slytherin has got to do with this."

Chatting for some more time, Hermione and Neville left for their beds, relieved that Harry was not going anywhere that evening. Harry, after a quick check through the Map for Barty Crouch Jr and Moody, went to bed after a satisfying performance, though he still felt bad he had put his best friends through so much. He knew Draco would be feeling just as terrible as Neville had about the fact he was leaving; Draco was at the crossroads and he was taking small steps towards the right side and he would be devastated if Harry left him in the lurch at this time. Harry got ready for bed, when he heard the unmistakable sounds of an owl tapping his window. He got up from his bed, and opened the window, to see a small school owl with a note tied to its leg. Harry used his wand to untie the note, levitate it to his desk beside his bed, before he ran the note through a few charms. When the note appeared clean, Harry took it in his hand and opened it.

_Harry,_

_Are you alright? Not leaving are you? Is our meeting on for tomorrow night? I'll try and find out anything I can before tomorrow; don't come alone, in fact don't go anywhere alone Harry; bring Granger and Longbottom with you. _

_Take care,_

_Draco._

Harry's eyes softened as he read between the lines, and he took out a piece of parchment to write Draco, just as a low "Harry" sounded next to his curtains, before they were parted and Neville's face appeared. "I heard the tapping at the window Harry. Alright there?"

"Come on in Nev. See this." He held out Draco's note and watched Neville's face as he read it twice. "I've never been so relieved Harry. You know I've had my reservations about him; me and Hermione, but this note only shows his concern. I'm sorry Harry..."

Harry cut him off. "Don't say sorry. You and Hermione were watching my back and were thinking for my good. Don't apologise for that Nev. You went with what you had of the elder Malfoys and Merlin knows they don't smell of roses and Draco was a little snot when we first met him. I'm the one who's truly blessed Nev. With you and Hermione first and now Draco, I'm slowly getting confident I can pull this Tournament thing off."

"You will Harry." Neville promised him, making Harry feel like a fraud and then bidding Harry goodnight once again he left to sleep, relieved and cheered about Draco. Harry too, went to bed, after writing a short note reassuring Draco. They had met Draco a few times; Hermione and Neville; they were always polite, but Harry knew they still had their suspicions and were very cautious around him, even when they were outwardly friendly. He knew Draco had picked up on something, but he had his own problems and so did not give his fullest attention to these two, as he would have done otherwise. Now, Harry was sure, Neville and Hermione would understand that Draco was a friend. Harry sighed, tired by all that had happened and he still had to face Sirius in the morning. He knew Sirius and Remus would come to Hogwarts the moment they opened the Daily Prophet and read about his forced participation.

The next morning Harry woke up early, and finishing his morning ablutions, walked down to see Neville waiting for him. They sat down in the Common Room and waited for Hermione, who came down soon after. They walked together to the Great Hall, and Harry told her about Draco's note, and showed it to her. She smiled when she read the note Draco had written, relief showing openly in her pretty face. "I'm so glad to read this Harry." she said. "I wonder what news Draco will have for us tonight." Discussing all the possibilities, the three Gryffindors walked down to the Great Hall for their breakfast, Harry hoping that this time, no one would be openly antagonistic against him; if they did, he thought he would offer an oath on his magic.

The Great Hall fell silent as Harry entered and Harry stopped for a moment, deciding he would have to give a magical oath for him to be believed after all, when Cedric stood up from the Hufflepuff Table and smiled at him. "We are with you Harry. Hufflepuff will keep its eyes open for the idiot who placed your name into the Goblet, don't you worry."

Harry gaped for a second, before he beamed at Cedric. "Thanks Cedric. This shows what a Champion you are. I am willing to offer a magical oath that I did not place my name in the Goblet by any means, and I'm terribly happy you believe me."

"No need for an oath Harry. I believe you and so does Hufflepuff."

Harry smiled and with a wave, walked over to the Gryffindor Table.

"You know we believe you as well Harry?" a seventh year asked him.

"Thanks Logan. It means a lot to me." Harry smiled as everyone in Gryffindor nodded with the seventh year.

He heaved a huge sigh. "I was so scared to come down today Hermione. I didn't know how everyone would see it, especially Hufflepuff, whose moment of rightful glory I took away, even though it was not my fault."

"Of course it wasn't your fault Harry." Hermione said determinedly. "It was the fault of whoever put your name in the Goblet and I'll be keeping a close watch on Moody for one."

"Me too." Neville said when Ron butted in. "I believe you Harry, but I really wish someone had put my name into the bloody Goblet." He moaned.

"Or mine." Said one Twin, grinning.

"Or mine." Added the other Twin.

"You are all nutters, you know that don't you?" Harry asked laughing.

"Of course not Harry. A thousand galleons!" all three of them chorused, before laughing along with Harry, when the doors of the Great Hall burst open and two figures wildly ran in.

Sirius and Remus were furious, and they created such a scene in the Great Hall that they, thereby unknowingly furthered the opinion that Harry had nothing to do with the Goblet.

"This is it!" shouted Sirius, when Harry had barely begun his breakfast. "I'm withdrawing Harry James Potter from Hogwarts, effective immediately."

He rushed in, wand in his hand, in an attacking pose, with Remus looking equally angry, backing him, wand in his hand as well. Sirius looked at the Gryffindor Table and ran to Harry. "Harry!" he shouted again, before examining him closely, even as Dumbledore came down to once again explain. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine Sirius." Harry started, even as Sirius leapt over the Gryffindor Table and hugged him hard.

"I'm really fine Sirius." Harry said smiling, before he frowned anxiously. "I did _not_ put my name..."

"Of course you did not!" Sirius exclaimed. "If you did, you would have told me and everyone else you did it Harry. I don't know who's doing this, but whoever it is does NOT have anything good in mind."

"I quite agree." Remus said, "That's why we're removing you from here. Every year," Remus sighed angrily, "every single year, something or the other has happened, but this is way too dangerous Harry."

"Sirius, Remus," started Dumbledore who had by then joined them, as had McGonagall, but was rudely interrupted by Sirius. "I'm sorry Albus, but this time I'll not listen to you."

"Harry must compete." McGonagall said abruptly.

"Harry _need_ not!" Sirius exploded and would have continued in the same tone, which was loud and rude, but was stopped once again by McGonagall.

"He will need to Sirius, unless you want his magic to leave him." She snapped.

Sirius froze, before he turned to look at McGonagall, absolute fury on his face. "_What did you say?_ He hissed. "Lose his magic?" he asked, his eyes filling with an unholy rage; his wand now directly pointed at McGonagall. Suddenly, there was an uncomfortable breeze, and plates, glasses, spoons, knives and forks started rattling; Harry gaped, amazed to see this bout of uncontrollable magic and then he gasped when he noticed Remus's wand backing Sirius and pointing at McGonagall as well; who, in return, had her own wand in her hand, though to Harry's surprise, she kept it pointing down, rather than back at Remus and Sirius.

"Calm down!" Dumbledore said sharply to Sirius and Remus. "There will be no wand waving here; no fighting. We are all friends, colleagues. _Put_ _your wands down_." He finished with a roar, power leaking off him in waves.

Remus was still staring at McGonagall, his eyes deeply amber, face in a snarl, and Sirius, hardly recognisable in his outrage, slowly lowered their wands almost unconsciously obeying the pure command in Dumbledore's voice. Harry noticed that both Sirius and Remus were still tightly clenching their wands as though, ready to go on the offensive at any moment. The Great Hall was silent, as everyone in there watched with amazement and not a bit of awe, as two people, outsiders, took on none other than Dumbledore and McGonagall. Harry chanced a look at the Staff Table, and he saw Snape, Flitwick, Sprout and Vector, all standing, their wands at the ready, and suddenly Harry wanted to laugh badly. This seemed so surreal to him, so outrageous to the point of being ridiculous and yet he dared not say a word, lest he started Sirius or Remus off to do something silly, like actually casting a spell at Dumbledore or McGonagall. They would probably be transfigured into flobberworms for the rest of their lives.

Dumbledore sighed. "Yesterday, someone with a lot of power to confound the Goblet, somehow placed Harry's name into it, and made the Goblet choose Harry's name as the fourth champion. You know very well, that if Harry refuses to compete, he would lose his magic, as the names placed inside the Goblet and those chosen by it, are magically bound."

Sirius and Remus were silent for a long moment; then, "Minerva, I'm sorry. I lost myself for a minute." Remus said softly, his eyes still amber, but his face no longer reflecting his anger. Sirius muttered an apology as well, though he was not looking repentant in the least.

McGonagall's lips were pressed so tight that they almost disappeared, but she shook her head reluctantly. "I know Remus. You were worried; though," her eyes lightened a bit, as she gave a small nearly invisible smile, "How on earth did you both think you could take me on, with Albus backing me up, I don't know!"

"I was not thinking Minerva, and neither was Sirius." Remus replied with a wry smile. "The moment you said Harry would lose his magic we stopped thinking. I've never felt so furious in my life." He shrugged.

"How to deal with this Albus?" Sirius was still clutching Harry tightly with one hand, broke in, in a defeated voice. "What to do now? Harry is smart, but he can't compete with adult witches and wizards in a competition that's known to kill competitors."

"We'll work it all out. Come to my office and we'll let the students eat their breakfast in peace, though," his eyes twinkled, "I'm quite sure they'll want to discuss this drama." He turned to face the Hall at large. "Since you lost quite a bit of time this morning, your first classes have been cancelled, and your day will begin from your second class. Thank you. Let Harry be here Sirius; he's among friends and he does need to go to his classes in a while."

Sirius looked reluctant, but then he hugged Harry tightly, and stepped aside for Remus to do the same and with a "Be careful Harry; we'll talk later", both of them walked away with Dumbledore and McGonagall. A huge sigh went around the Hall, before excited, but hushed conversations cropped up all over the four Tables. Harry sat down, and heaved a huge sigh himself, before attending to his breakfast, which remained warm; ah the benefits of magic, Harry thought as he started to inhale his food. All this had made him terribly hungry.

Slowly the whispers died down and Harry had another session with Sirius and Remus before they left Hogwarts, after their meeting with Dumbledore and McGonagall and Harry teased them a bit about almost attacking McGonagall of all people. Then, promising to be careful and never going anywhere alone, Harry saw them off the Hogwarts grounds with some relief. He could now try and get his life into some kind of normalcy and hopefully, with all the support he received, there would not be too much staring, whispering or nasty comments thrown around. Harry was still amazed at the changes, his simple but effective action the night his name came out had brought about. He wished he was clever to have done something like this the last time; this act had had the Professors firmly on his side, which in turn swayed the students, or was it that it was the students who had been shocked into believing him which in turn made the Professors believe too.

Harry, Hermione and Neville went that night to meet an anxious Draco, who had been unable to find anything. He told them, he had written to his father, fishing for information, though he and the others were doubtful Draco would receive anything in return. The note Draco sent, though, healed any awkwardness between him, Hermione and Neville, and Harry was glad for that.

"I tried asking around in Slytherin, but no one has any idea Harry; no one. I had to be discreet of course, but everyone was as stunned as me and all of you were. I mean, apart from the Dark Lord, who would do this? And He's not around now."

"Perhaps it was one of the kids of the Death Eaters, Draco. Maybe their father or mother had asked them to do this in revenge." Hermione said thinking furiously.

"I did think of that as well. In fact that was my first thought." He hesitated and then squared his shoulders. "I did not exempt any Death Eater Hermione. Not even," he swallowed, "my father. Which was why I asked around carefully if this was the case, but everyone was as baffled as me and couldn't think of anyone who could do this right under Dumbledore's nose, which was pretty daring of them if you ask me. Though many sympathisers do hope you'll get some." He scowled.

Harry surprised himself by hugging Draco hard. He knew how difficult it would have been for him to include his father, even as Hermione and Neville's mouths fell open. And Harry knew Draco had won both of them by that statement.

"Thanks Draco. I know how difficult it must have been to see everyone with suspicion, though, I'm quite sure your parents would not be a part of this, unless of course they were coerced by your Aunt. My suspicion is on her. I think she probably placed a student under the _Imperius_ and had them do this."

"Or," Draco said bitterly, "She asked my father to use the curse on one of his Death Eater friend's child." His face suddenly blanched in horror. "Harry, you don't think he could have done something to me and made me do it?"

"Of course not!" Hermione was emphatic, before Harry could answer. "For one, you were in Moody's class and he threw the _Imperius_ and cancelled it, and if you had that curse on, it would have been cancelled too at the time, which was before the Goblet was open. Also you would have never come tonight and neither would you have sent that note yesterday night, because your father does not know your friends with us."

Draco's face shone with relief and after chatting for some more time, the now four friends decided to meet next week, with hopefully more information. Harry had filled Draco with all he knew and then saying goodnight, they left for their common rooms for a well deserved rest.

The days sped by and Harry lived openly cautious, though still managing to land at least a detention a week, so that he could meet with Snape. Hermione and Neville were now firmly convinced Draco was alright, and they went out of their way to meet and chat up with Draco, perhaps Harry thought, to make up for all their suspicions of him. It certainly made Draco happier at a time he was confused, scared and unable to trust anyone in his house, which was slowly closing up, as the Dark Marks started getting brighter on the Death Eater's forearms. Draco had to be extremely careful when he met with Harry and by the time the first task rolled by, he and the other Slytherins were nearly openly hostile, with the common study sessions that had marked Harry's second year coming to a complete halt. The School was going back to the way Harry remembered of his time and while it frustrated Harry no end, he really could not do anything about it. So he kept his head down and tried to become as invisible as he could, thinking that he could do a lot more from behind the shadows at this time, than openly against such hostility.

The first task was on the 24th of November and that day dawned clear and cold. While there were no "Harry Stinks" badges from the Slytherins, there weren't many voices of support either. Harry shrugged it all off and armed with the knowledge it was dragons; Hagrid had once again come through and Harry had lost no time telling Cedric about it, before he, Hermione, Neville and Draco held furious study sessions about how to combat the dragon. Moody had once again cornered Harry and offered suggestions which Harry accepted, nodding at all the right places and then it was the day.

Harry picked the Hugarian Horntail once again, but he had decided to do things a little differently this time. While he could have fly circles around the Ridgeback, he wanted to see if he could do something else this time at least in this task, if not the other two. He had discussed using his broom against the Horntail, but seeing the dragon, he wondered if he could be a bit of a show off this time.

He waited patiently until he was called; he was last as he was last time too, the others judging by the shouts had gone the same way. He walked out calmly when it was his turn and looked at the fierce Horntail, which was glaring right back at him. He lifted his wand and whispered what appeared to be a '_Stupefy_!" over and over again, very quickly, some 20 times; Harry really kept casting the _Stupify_, until the last time, he used a non verbal parseltongue spell meant to subdue dragons put them to sleep for a while, that he had found in the Black Library and put an adequate amount of power into it. The moment it hit the Horntail, she tucked her legs beneath her and closed her eyes falling into a slumber. Harry then walked slowly, but confidently to the enclosure, stepped carefully over the eggs, removed the golden egg and walked out to a roar of unbelievable cheer. He looked up to see Snape standing very close along with Sirius and Remus; he needed to check his eyes Harry thought with a bemused smile at the sight of three of them standing so close together, holding their wands high, prepared to attack the dragon at a moment's notice.

Sirius and Remus broke away at that moment, even as Snape lowered his wand, and ran towards him, hugging him tightly.

"You were brilliant!" Sirius shouted, trembling; "Merlin, I was so worried; though I thought you were going to use your broom?"

"Yeah, but some time back, Hermione was telling me about how it takes some 15 stunners to subdue the dragon and I thought, if I got all of them close together I could do that with a lot less risk. Hermione and Neville had come running by then and Harry explained everything once again. Remus frowned though. "I thought you had to get all the stunners together?"

"Well I did. Almost all at once, didn't I? I tried to place the spells as close together as I could and luckily it worked. If it hadn't I would have summoned my broom."

They walked towards the tent and after reassuring Madam Pomfrey that he was not hurt, they walked out to hear the scores. Harry found he was placed in first place with Krum, and walked away from the dragons' enclosure with relief. The first task was over. Only two more to go, and maybe he could take down Voldemort and even some of his Death Eaters, starting with Barty Crouch Jr first.

The days after that slipped by and it was soon time for the Yule Ball for which Harry had been told by McGonagall to bring a date to, since he would be leading the Ball with the other three Champions. All his arguing that he was not an official Champion and that he wanted to go home for Mid-Winter fell on deaf ears, as McGonagall snapped at him.

"I'm sorry Potter, but why are you whining. You know you need to attend the Ball?" she snapped her patience beginning to disappear.

"Can I go alone?" he asked stubbornly.

"No." She snapped again. "Now, don't make a fuss and argue; I'm not going to agree. Bring a date to the Ball and behave. You represent both Hogwarts and Gryffindor. Understand? Now leave."

That was final and he grumbled to Snape in one of their detentions, who seemed equally unsympathetic.

"You are forty years old and you tell me you cannot avail yourself of a date for a single evening?" How ..." Snape paused quaintly for a moment before smirking, "Pathetic!"

Harry glared at the man, who smirked at him. "I am forty years old and _that's_ why asking any _child_ for a date sounds so wrong. They are all very nearly my daughter's age and if you can't understand that..." he began hotly, when Snape intervened smoothly.

"It's only for a single evening, for a few hours; you don't even have to dance or tell your partner she's your daughter's age. Good heavens Potter don't whine so. Get someone to go with you, if not as a date, then as a companion for a evening you cannot avoid. Now," he finished warningly, as he saw Harry about to start once again about how unfair everything was, "_don't_ start again."

And that was that. Harry left the detention and slowly walked up, wondering what to do and who to ask, when his eyes fell on a small blonde girl humming to herself, walking barefoot in the cold and searching for something. Harry could not believe he had forgotten about Luna and he felt a surge of hot fury run through him as he saw her bare feet upon the cold stone.

"Hey!" he said cordially. "Aren't you cold?" he asked nodding at her feet.

Luna blinked, her protuberant eyes huge on her face. "Hello Harry Potter!" she said.

"Yes, I'm Harry Potter; what's your name? You know mine, but I don't know yours." He smiled.

Luna tilted her head and blinked again. "You don't?" she asked in surprise. "Well, my name's Luna Lovegood, Harry Potter."

"Hi Luna Lovegood." Harry grinned and lifted his wand. "_Accio_ Luna's shoes and socks." He frowned as her shoes and a fair many pairs socks came flying towards him from various armours and behind some portraits. "In fact, _Accio_ all Luna's things hidden away without her knowledge."

Books, quills, parchments, some garments, butterbeer bottle caps all came flying from everywhere and Harry scowled, furious at the thought, that Luna was being bullied. "How long has this been going on?" he snarled at her in anger, even as she sat down, bewildered at the thought someone had actually helped her to find her things, and that they were seriously angry on her behalf.

"Thank you." She said quietly, not knowing how to respond.

Harry frowned at her. "Tell me Luna. Has this been going on since you came? Which year are you in?"

Luna ignored his first question. "I'm in third year. Thank you Harry Potter. You're a nice man."

Harry was about to reply, when he froze at her words. _Nice man!_ What did she mean? Did she know? She was always capable of seeing what others could not, but could she really see this? Harry was stunned and he stared at her, only to realise she was staring back at him.

After a few very uncomfortable moments, Harry squared his shoulders and asked her once again. "Who did this Luna? Tell me; I won't confront them I promise. Not openly." He grinned maliciously. "But we can prank them."

Luna smiled and thanked him once again, but did not say anything else. Harry looked at her frustrated, and then he sighed. "Ok, will you at least help me ward your things, so that no one will ever be able to handle them without your permission?"

"You know warding?" she asked brightly.

Harry cringed at his mistake. "Umm .. yeah, I do know some basic wards. I came across this wonderful book called the Self-Updating Book of Spells, and I started learning about warding and I've since then found it fascinating. But Luna," he hesitated, "I haven't told anyone else. So," he ran down.

"Don't worry Harry Potter. I won't say a word about anything." Luna replied easily, as she pulled on her socks and shoes; seeing that bought a surge of anger to Harry's face again.

"Come on; let's set up the Ravenclaw bullies." Harry grinned and conjured a bag for her and he placed all her things into them, and then helped her get up and waited expectantly for Luna to lead the way to Ravenclaw Tower.

She smiled at him, her eyes puzzled as stared at him for a long moment, as though she couldn't figure him out then, her eyes cleared and she led the way, holding on to Harry's hand all the way to Ravenclaw Tower.

"Wait here!" She told him and placed her bag into his hands, and went inside and returned shortly with her trunk.

Harry took the trunk from her and led her to a small room not far from the Tower. Harry placed the trunk on the floor and placed her bag on top of the trunk and thought for a minute, before swept his wand over both. Turning to Luna he smiled, "There all done; just needs a drop of your blood to bind your things to you. Anyone else touching them without your permission will be surprised."

Luna silently nicked her finger with her wand and placed a drop of blood on her trunk and bag.

"What about my assignments Harry Potter? How will I hand them in? Won't the Professors be hexed too?" she giggled.

"Ah!" Harry grinned. "While that's a nice thought, anyone to whom you give any of your things will come to no harm; while anyone who thinks they can help themselves to your things, thinking it to be funny, will find themselves in quite a state. So don't worry about that. OK?"

She beamed at him and gave him a small hug. Harry was flustered for a second, before he hugged her back. "Thank you Harry Potter! Goodnight." She grinned as Harry made her trunk featherlight. As she was entering the Tower, he called out on an impulse.

"Hey Luna! Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. I'll come to the Yule Ball with you. As friends, of course. Goodnight."

She smiled at him once more and walked inside levitating her trunk.

Harry stood there stunned; he stared at her as she walked away, wondering to make sense of what had just happened. How on earth had she known he was going to ask her to the Ball? _He_ had had no idea about it until a second before. Before he could ponder on that, he was caught by Snape, who had been prowling the corridors. Seeing Harry, he hissed angrily at him.

"What are you doing here?"

"Righting a wrong." Harry sighed. "I'm done for now and I'm going back to my dorm. You can give me a couple of detentions that you can spread out."

"Don't talk here; it's not safe." Snape hissed as he looked around cautiously. "Detention Potter!" his voice rose to his normal volume. "In fact make those three detentions for the half hour you have been outside wandering in the corridors. One for every ten minutes. What are you doing here?"

Harry rolled his eyes and was about to answer, when there was another sound; of uneven steps coming close to them.

"Who's here?" asked a gruff voice and both Harry and Snape turned to see the false Moody coming towards them, his wand held aloft.

"What are you doing here Snape? And with a student that too?" he snarled.

"_I_ am patrolling the corridors and last time I checked the roster in the Staff Room, this area was mine. So, what are _you_ doing _here_?" Snape snarled back, before his voice became smooth. "As you can see even with that one eye of yours, I've caught Potter breaking the rules as usual. I've just finished assigning him detention." He said voice filled with satisfaction. "Oh and before I forget Potter," he drawled rather nastily, "a point for every minute you've been out, which makes it," he cast a _Tempus_ charm, "thirty two points."

"Come on Potter. No need to stand talking to a .. Snape." Moody's voice couldn't have been more obvious about what he thought of Snape. Harry glanced at Snape's face as it pinched in anger.

"A what Moody?" he hissed softly.

"I don't believe in you Snape, whatever Dumbledore may say." Moody replied. "I'll be watching you closely."

"Dumbledore trusts me and you may sure I'll take this to him." Snape snarled. "What are you waiting here for Potter?" he snapped at Harry. "Go on! Get back to your dorm."

"Come on boy, I'll escort you back." Moody's tone left room for no argument and Harry walked silently along with Moody, knowing Snape had his back. Snape indeed had Harry's back. He walked behind Harry quite obviously and Moody turned back to Snape and glared.

Snape glared back. "You refuse to trust me with him Moody," he hissed in fury; "I'll give you the same courtesy." Harry saw his opportunity and started walking to the Gryffindor Common Room. He heard their voices raised in anger and McGonagall's voice cutting across theirs suddenly, then there was only silence. Harry started running and banged into Hermione and Neville at the next corner.

"Ouch!" said three voices and then, Hermione hugged him in relief. "Where were you? We've been searching for you since curfew."

Harry hugged her and whispered, even as he pulled her and Neville towards their common room. "I have something to tell you, but first let's get to our common room before the Professors catch us."

The three of them hurtled towards Gryffindor Tower and once safely inside, Harry lost no time in telling Hermione and Neville about how he had found Luna, and how he helped her. "That was why I was late and it was my bad luck Snape caught me. He gave me three detentions and I lost thirty two points, but in the end I felt it was worth it."

Hermione nodded furious. "Of course it was. How dare the Ravenclaws bully her like that? She may be a tad crazy, but that's no reason to hide her things and make her walk barefoot in winter. She could have fallen ill."

Neville looked disturbed too. "You did the right thing Harry. Your detentions are worth it, though it would mean more time away from us and the points lost don't matter."

"That's what I thought." Harry said and the three friends fell into a comfortable silence before going off to their dorms for a well deserved sleep.

The next morning, Harry, Hermione and Neville walked down to the Great Hall and there, Harry excused himself from his friends and walked up to Ravenclaw Table where Luna was sitting alone, humming softly to herself. Harry noted with satisfaction that she was wearing shoes.

"Hey Luna! Good morning." He grinned at her.

"Good morning Harry Potter!" she smiled and started humming again, while the other Ravenclaws giggled at her apparently lunatic ways.

"Would you like to have breakfast with us Luna? You haven't started yet."

She looked up at him, startled, before she beamed. "I would like that." She said softly. Harry glared at the Ravenclaw Table and satisfied to see many sheepish faces.

"Come on, then." He said and held his arm for her and led her to the Gryffindor Table, where she was greeted warmly by Hermione and Neville.

They had breakfast together, Hermione becoming more and more bemused at the magical creatures Luna talked about, while Harry and Neville were hard pressed to stop laughing at Hermione's expression. But Hermione did not snap at the younger girl and soon, after Harry asked her to join them for all meals, the three friends and Luna went to their respective classes.

Meanwhile at the Staff Table, the Professors had been watching closely. "What was all that about?" McGonagall asked confused. "I never knew Harry knew Miss Lovegood."

"I found Potter near the Ravenclaw Common Room yesterday night, and I must say it was rewarding." Snape smirked. "I assigned him three detentions and took thirty two points off him for being outside alone after curfew. Perhaps he was meeting with the Lovegood girl at the time." Snape finished in a satisfied tone and McGonagall glared at him, but was unable to say anything since Harry was clearly in the wrong; she had after all known about this last night, when she had happened to come across a furious Snape and an unrepentant Moody.

That evening, Harry met Snape after dinner for the first of his three detentions.

"Hey!" he called as soon as Snape had warded his office.

Snape glared at him at his familiarity. "What happened last night?" he asked ignoring Harry's greetings.

So, Harry explained about Luna, furious that her fellow Ravenclaws were treating her so poorly. "To hide her things so; they should be punished; well, they'll be. All they have to do is to try and take things from Luna again."

Snape was oddly silent as Harry told him about Luna and her bullying and how Harry had stood up for her and placed protective hexes for her. He nodded as Harry finished but didn't say a word.

"Oh," Harry said, "I have to go to my vault and get the Slytherin Locket."

Snape frowned. "Why?"

"I've an idea; I want to use the Locket to ask for Kreacher's help to retrieve the Hufflepuff Cup from Bellatrix's Vault. If he knows we completed the job his Master gave him, he may be more amenable to helping us with the Hufflepuff Cup."

Snape shook his head. "I don't think that'll work Potter and it's dangerous. Kreacher's loyalty is not with you."

"I agree; but I don't think Kreacher's complete loyalty is with the family he lives with either. His first loyalty is and would always be with Regulus. And we destroying the Locket, would gain us his loyalty; somewhat ambiguous I know, but still we'd have the upper hand instead of the Malfoys. I knew Kreacher, and while I was glad to get him out of the way when Sirius told me he had kicked him out, in the last timeline he was pretty helpful, and he would have been more so, if only I had known more about the Wizarding World and it's working and how to get him to help us in such a way it would have benefitted us and him. I could have made far better use of Kreacher and at the same time, given him a far better lifestyle than what he received once I was his Master."

Snape looked doubtful, as they argued the point to and fro, then he reluctantly nodded and looked at his watch. "Shall we go now?"

"Are you sure no one will find out if we're gone together; I could go and be back in about twenty minutes .."

"No Potter!" Snape said firmly. "You are not going out alone. That's not negotiable."

Harry looked at him for a minute and then he said, "I hope you will never reveal this; this comes under your oath as well."

Snape sneered. "I thought everything did."

"Yeah." Harry grinned and a second later he was rewarded by an undignified squeak from the Potions Master, when in Harry's place there was a lovely Phoenix.

Harry spread his wings and flew gracefully in the air and trilled softly, before flying down to his chair and changing back.

"That was one hell of a squeak, Snape. I never knew you did squeaks." Harry laughed as he sat down. Snape was still gaping at him to sneer in reply.

"I've never known anyone whose Animagus form is a Phoenix." He spluttered, his eyes still reflecting his shock. "Next you'll be telling me you have more than one form." Seeing Harry's expression he actually groaned. "Don't tell me you do."

In response Harry changed into the viper and then standing up he moved away from the chair and transformed into a stag.

Snape stared.

Harry laughed as he changed back once again and sat down. "No one knew about the Phoenix and Viper forms except Hermione, Ron and Ginny. I used them, especially the viper to sneak about."

Snape was still staring at him.

"Snape?" Harry called in amusement and then a bit more loudly. "Snape? Are you quite there?"

"Very funny." Snape glared at Harry.

"So as I was saying, if you'll cover for me, I'll be back in a few minutes with the Locket using the Phoenix form, and then we can Kreacher to negotiate."

Snape still looked reluctant, but then agreed. "I suppose you can go and return quicker than if we went the conventional way." He paused for a second, uneasy. "Potter, be very careful."

"I will be ." Harry said and then transforming into a Phoenix he flashed to a quiet point near Gringotts, walked inside, and was out in fifteen minutes and a second later he flashed to Snape's office and changed back. Snape was pacing the floor looking tense and he looked up in obvious relief when he saw the Phoenix. He strode to his chair as Harry changed back and removed the Locket.

"What next?" he asked tersely. "You were careful at Gringotts? And the Phoenix was the reason you went alone to retrieve the Stone alone?"

Harry nodded to Snape's last question and answered the first two. "I was very careful Snape and now we call for Kreacher."

Snape nodded and Harry took a deep breath. This must go properly for them to defeat Voldemort and without too many casualties.

"Kreacher!" he called firmly.

_**End of Chapter – 31**_


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